My Secret Love
by StrangerThanFiction25
Summary: Ichigo just wants to make it through his senior year of high school, without too much trouble or drama. But he just can't seem to get away from the trouble or drama he wants no part of, when he stops a stranger from being beaten up. This stranger just so happens to be his new teacher, who has many dark secrets. And things only get worse for the teen from there on. GrimmIchi
1. Chapter 1: Rescuing a Stranger

Ichigo sighed as he hefted the bags of groceries in his hands. The sky had grown dark while he'd been inside the store, leaving him to walk the dark streets home. The teen was a bit nervous walking the streets at night, since there had been an increased rise in the crime rate in town. Ichigo may not be a girl, but that didn't mean that he couldn't be randomly attacked and possibly raped. He shuddered at the thought of that happening and hastened his pace.

A street light flickered a couple times before finally dying. Darkening the upcoming alley that Ichigo was approaching. The dying of the upcoming streetlamp was almost like a foreshadowing of the events about to unfold, as Ichigo cautiously walked towards the mouth of the alley when he heard a low groan coming from the alley. Ichigo pressed his back against the brick wall of the building behind him as he listened to the sound of heavy breathing coming from the within the darkness of the alley.

"Aren't you going to fight back," an angry voice demanded, startling Ichigo at the abrupt loudness of it.

"I already told you," a calm voice responded. "I don't fight anymore."

"Yeah, right," the first voice snorted. "So, you're just going to let us beat the shit out of you?"

"Like your weak attacks will hurt me," the calm voice responded.

Ichigo couldn't believe his ears. Was the second man crazy or did he really just want to be beat up that badly? Ichigo knew he should just walk away without a second glance, but his 'I-Have-To-Save-The-World' mindset had to rear its ugly head up and make itself known at that moment.

"Suit yourself," the first man sneered, with the sound of knuckles being cracked following his words.

That was all it took for Ichigo to run headlong into the danger lying in wait in the alley, throwing caution to the wind. Ichigo rushed into the alley and swung his bag of groceries with canned goods in it at the man with his fist pulled back. The bag connected with the man's head with a resounding 'thunk' and the man crumpled to the ground, while the other two thug-looking men stared in shock at the form of their friend lying in a heap on the ground. The young man that had been about to be beat up, also, stood in shock, but Ichigo grabbed his hand and dashed out of the alley with the man in tow. Ichigo ran the last couple of blocks to his house with the other man still in tow, adrenaline coursing the orange haired teen's veins.

In front of his door, Ichigo quickly yanked out his keys and unlocked the door, before pushing in the man behind him first then rushing in afterwards. Ichigo slammed the door shut and locked it again. Breathing heavily, the bags that had been digging into his wrist dropped to the floor with a thud as Ichigo bent forwards with his hands on his knees. Forcing his heart to slow down from its thunderous pace, Ichigo's breathing finally returned to normal. And the adrenaline that had kept him going was finally leaving his system, leaving him feeling rather tired and drained.

"Are you okay?" The voice of the calm man startling him and drawing a gasp of surprise from his lips, and reminding Ichigo that he had locked his self in his house with a stranger.

"I'm fine. Are you okay," Ichigo asked, finally looking up at the stranger in front of him.

"Couldn't be better," the man responded calmly.

The man before him had hair that was startling light blue that Ichigo didn't know how he could of missed it in the alley. Cyan colored eyes regarded him quietly with a hint of shock and humor hidden in their depths, confusing Ichigo. What was so funny? Nothing that Ichigo was aware of, but he didn't ask the man in front of him and turned to look out the window that decorated the top of the door. Peering out it, Ichigo looked out at his front yard to see if they had been followed back here. To his relief they hadn't been. Turning away from the window, Ichigo felt a wave of relief wash over him.

"It appears we lost them," Ichigo sighed.

"Looks like it," the blue haired man said.

The room was suddenly engulfed in an awkward silence, which was a bit suffocating for Ichigo, who didn't know what he should do or say to the stranger in his home.

"Are those guys gone?" The question startled Ichigo, yet again.

"Umm, yeah," Ichigo muttered nervously.

"Good. I don't need to be caught fighting again," the man muttered in relief.

The blue haired man moved towards the door and Ichigo moved out of his way. Flipping the lock on the door, the man looked over his shoulder at Ichigo with his hand still firmly on the doorknob.

"Well thanks for the help, but as a tip, don't stop any more fights. You might get hurt," he said, pulling open the door and stepping outside.

"Wait," Ichigo demanded, stepping forwards and grabbing the edge of the door.

The man looked slightly startled by Ichigo's sudden demanded, but paused anyways. "What?

"What's your name," Ichigo asked, wanting a name to place with the man's face.

"Secret," the man responded, smirking. "Have a nice night."

With those words the man walked down the front steps of the porch, the wind rustling his obnoxiously, bright hair. Ichigo quietly closed the front door once the man was no longer in sight. A sigh escaped his lips as he picked up the dropped groceries and headed to the kitchen. The teen's thoughts were invaded by thoughts of the mysterious man that he had rescued, as he made supper. Ichigo quickly ate and put away the leftovers for his father, before heading up to his room.

Entering his room, Ichigo flopped down on his bed and pulled his phone out of his pocket and immediately texted his best friend, Rukia Kuchiki, about what had just happened to him. Setting the phone down beside him on the bed, Ichigo stared up at his ceiling his mind continuously thinking about the blue haired man. The man had definitely been good looking and Ichigo rarely thought that about many men, even though he definitely hit for the other team. But no one knew that, besides for a select few friends. Ichigo wandered who the man was and hoped that he'd be able to meet him again. The sound of his phone going off instantly drew him away from his thoughts circling the blue haired stranger. Opening up the text message, Ichigo quickly read Rukia's message and smirked at his friend's giddiness over him meeting a hot stranger. Only Rukia would find this great.

Another text appeared on his phone requesting, more like demanding, that he describe the hot stranger that he had meet tonight. Ichigo grinned in the dark and complied, more than willingly, with Rukia's demand. He told her everything he remembered about the man. From his unusual hair to his perfectly sculpted body, everything being described in great detail to the point that man seemed to be a god by the way Ichigo was describing him.

By two in the morning, after endless back and forth speculation about Ichigo's mysterious stranger, the two finally bid one another good night and that they would see each other next week at school. Setting his phone on the desk by his bed, Ichigo yawned as he stared up at the ceiling. Pulling his blankets up over his body, Ichigo drifted to sleep hoping he would get to see the blue haired man again.

* * *

**A/N****: **Hey, guys! Yet again, a new story. You can all blame it on my recent addiction to teen love stories. I hope you guys find this one as good as my other stories! Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated, especially reviews!

Ichigo: I'm glad you all enjoy tormenting me. T.T  
Author: Yes, yes. We all enjoying causing you pain, Ichigo, especially in the form of a sexy, blue haired man. =D


	2. Chapter 2: We Meet Again

A shrill ringing broke the dead silence of Ichigo's room, only for a moment before he slammed his hand on the annoying electronic. Ichigo groaned as rubbed his eyes and glared sullenly at his ceiling. He didn't want to get out of his bed or get ready for school. The teen was still rather depressed that he hadn't seen his mystery strange in the week that had passed. A sigh escaped his lips, which turned into a groan as he threw his blankets off his self and his body was met with the frigid air of his room. His father must've accidentally turned on the air conditioner instead of the heat last night.

Forcing his self out of bed, Ichigo padded out of his room to the thermostat in the hall, cringing the whole way with his bare feet touching the cold floors. Turning up the thermostat, Ichigo meandered over to his father's room to see his father still fully clothed and sleeping atop the blankets on his bed. Ichigo sighed as he pulled a comforter out his father's closet and covering him with it.

"You shouldn't over work yourself," Ichigo muttered, a frown marring his face.

Ichigo exited the room, and went to take a shower and get ready for school. The hot water felt so good that Ichigo lingered a little longer than normal before turning off the water and getting dressed. Ichigo pulled on a bland white long sleeve V-neck shirt and blue jeans. Looking down at his ensemble, Ichigo shrugged and finished getting ready.

Ichigo was just pulling on a dark blue hoodie, when his phone went off in his pocket. It was a text from Rukia telling him that she was outside waiting for him. Quickly grabbing his backpack, Ichigo snatched his keys off the key hanger before heading out the door. Rukia was standing on the steps, the wind rustling her short chin length, black hair. She was rubbing her hands together as Ichigo walked outside. He shivered as the cold wind nipped at his exposed skin. Rukia turned to look up at him as came to stand beside her.

"Hey," she said, her cheeks turning a rosy pink from the cold.

"It's cold," Ichigo grumbled, pulling his hoodie tighter around his self.

Rukia nodded vigorously, stuffing her hands in her pockets as they headed towards school. "Thank god, it's our last year of school."

"Agreed," Ichigo chuckled.

The weather was unusually cold this early in September; meaning Ichigo was feeling rather undressed in his blue hoodie.

"Any news about the sexy man you saved," Rukia asked, grinning at me.

Ichigo blushed at Rukia's suggestive grin and shook his head.

"That's too bad. I wanted to meet him."

Ichigo sighed, "So do I."

Rukia's face suddenly light up and a smirk graced her features as she glanced sidelong at Ichigo. "You know what? There's a new literature teacher this year."

"Really," Ichigo asked, only slightly curious, "Male or female?"

"Male," she responded, a cheeky grin on her face. "What if he's your mystery man?"

Ichigo snorted, "I doubt it. The guy looked too young to be a teacher."

"That sucks," Rukia mumbled glumly.

Ichigo chuckled again as the school finally came into sight. The two picked up their pace and headed towards the small group of their friends located near the school's front doors. They were all huddled together talking excitedly amongst one another.

"Hey guys," Rukia greeted excitedly.

A chorus of replies followed as another chilling breeze swept through the air.

"Why don't move this party inside where it's warm? Because I'm freezing out here," Ichigo suggested, as he shivered.

The group of six walked into the building, their bodies being greeted by the warm air inside the building. Ichigo sighed in relief as his cold body began to warm back up. Students filled the halls, chattering excitedly and comparing schedules with their friends.

"Why don't we grab our schedules and then we'll meet up again," Ichigo suggested, wanting to get rid of his backpack.

"Sounds good," Renji agreed, turning and heading off towards his homeroom with Ichigo following.

Renji and Ichigo talked about what they did during their summers. Laughing and joking the whole way to their homeroom. Ichigo grabbed his schedule off his desk and quickly looked it over. There was only one name that he didn't recognize, it was Grimmjow Jeagerjaques. The man was probably the new literature teacher. Renji suddenly appeared beside him and looked over his shoulder at his schedule.

"Sweet," Renji said. "We have almost all of our classes together, except for anatomy."

"Cool," Ichigo responded, before shoving the paper in his pocket. "I'm going to my locker."

"Have fun."

Ichigo left the classroom and headed out into the crowded hallways. As he walked down the halls, his friends called out greetings to him as he passed by. Ichigo was finally able to make it to his locker, which it wasn't as crowded there like the rest of the halls. Quickly spinning the combo lock on his locker, Ichigo was happy to find that the locker opened on his first try. Putting his stuff in his locker, Ichigo had just finished placing everything in his locker when there was a soft thud and the locker banged shut, catching his nose in the process.

"Ow," Ichigo cried, clapping his hands on his nose.

There was a sharp intake of breath to Ichigo's right and the teen whirled around to come face-to-face with the mystery man that he had saved a week ago. A startled gasp escaped Ichigo's mouth as he took in the man before him. The man's hair was still as striking as he remembered it to be and his eyes still that gorgeous cyan color. He was wearing a tight fitting, black long sleeve shirt and blue jeans. The man appeared to be just as surprised Ichigo was to see him here. Ichigo's mouth went dry and his mind blank. He definitely hadn't been expecting to see him here. They continued their mini staring contest, until the blue haired man snapped out of his shock and small smirk slipped onto his face.

"Don't go falling for my good looks already," the man commented, flicking Ichigo on the forehead.

"I'm not," Ichigo retorted irritably, as he rubbed his forehead. "I just wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Neither was I," the man said, his eyebrows furrowing.

Why was this guy here? Maybe he was a new student. Well if he was, he definitely wasn't a freshman or a sophomore, probably a junior, but more than likely a senior.

"Hey," the man said, snapping Ichigo out of his thoughts.

"Yeah," Ichigo responded, looking back up at the man standing in front of him.

"Can you tell me how to get to room 133," he requested.

Ichigo did a quick mental map of the school, before he remembered where the room was at.

"You go down this hall," Ichigo said, pointing back the way the man had come. "Take a left at the first halls you come to. It'll be the last door at the end of the hall on the right."

The man clicked his tongue and frowned. "I must've passed it. Oh well, thanks."

"No problem," Ichigo responded, as the man headed back the way he had come.

As soon as the man was no longer in sight, Ichigo opened his locker back up and shoved his hoodie in the locker and grabbing some essentials that he'd need. His mind was still mulling over the sudden appearance of the new student, which this school didn't get many of, when a voice cried out his name.

"Ichigo," someone called out, and Ichigo turned to see Rukia running towards him, "Ichigo!"

"What," Ichigo asked, closing his locker and leaning against it.

"I just saw the new literature teacher," she gushed, her eyes lighting up excitedly. "He is freaking hot!"

"Really," Ichigo asked, looking down the hall.

"He walked this way! Didn't you see him," she questioned.

Ichigo's brows furrowed as he tried to remember seeing anyone aside from his mysterious stranger. "No, but listen-"

"Oh boy," she exclaimed, cutting him off. "Your views on literature are going to change drastically. Wait until you see him, he looks so young! What period do you have literature?"

"Fifth," Ichigo responded, chuckling at his friend's excitement.

Rukia groaned, "You have to wait that long?"

"I guess so," Ichigo responded. "But listen to this-"

And once again Ichigo was interrupted, but this time by the bell signaling for students to head to class.

"I'll tell you later," Ichigo said, before heading off to class.

Ichigo couldn't imagine how excited Rukia would be over a hot new transfer student, if she was this excited over a new teacher. Because let's face it, new students were datable and teachers weren't. Ichigo sighed as he headed to his homeroom. He was a bit excited to see the new teacher that was causing such uproar in school in the female population, but it was a bummer that he had to wait till fifth period to see him. Ichigo quickly entered the classroom and took a seat beside Renji, before surveying the classroom. To his disappointment the new student wasn't there. Hopefully he'd be able to see him later today at some point. At the moment the announcements decided to come on, and Ichigo leaned back in his chair and glanced to his left at Renji. Renji grinned at him and Ichigo smiled lightly back. This year was definitely going to be interesting.

* * *

**A/N****: **Whoa! Two updates in one day. I think I'm starting out the summer pretty good. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff great appreciated!

Ichigo: Why do I get this feeling that things are gonna worse for me fast?  
Author: I don't know. Maybe your becoming paranoid. *Author shrugs and looks away innocently.*


	3. Chapter 3: Downer Realization

"Ichigo!"

Ichigo looked across the cafeteria to see Keigo waving him over to where he sat by some other people that Ichigo knew. Clutching his tray, Ichigo weaved through the boisterous students in the cafeteria over to Keigo.

Keigo exuberantly patted the spot next to him. "Sit, sit."

Ichigo shook his head and said, "Sorry. I'm going to sit with Rukia and them. I already promised. I'll see you later though."

"Wait," Rangiku cried, sitting at the table across from Keigo's. "Have you seen the literature teacher?"

Ichigo could feel his right eye twitch and a frown pull at his lips at the question that he had been asked on more than one occasion. "Not yet."

Rangiku clicked her tongue. "He's very handsome."

"So, I've heard," Ichigo responded wearily. "We'll I'm going to go eat now."

"See you around, Ichigo," Keigo cried, as Ichigo walked towards the table near the back of the cafeteria.

Ichigo made his way quickly to the table where Rukia, Renji, Orihime, Uryu, Chad, and Tatsuki were. Taking the seat next to Chad, Ichigo set his tray down and sighed in annoyance. He was really getting tired of hearing about the hot new teacher. It almost made him want to kill the new teacher, so that he wouldn't have to hear about him anymore.

"How's your day been, Ichigo," Tatsuki asked, picking up the slice of pizza on her tray and eyeing it wearily.

"Okay," Ichigo shrugged, before also eyeing his slice of pizza wearily too.

Ichigo grabbed his fork and lightly poked the pizza and watched as some oil ran out of the pizza. A disgusted sigh escaped Ichigo's lips as he pushed the tray lightly away from him.

"That's he hasn't had literature yet," Rukia interjected, stabbing her pizza with a fork as she sat forwards in her seat. "Just wait! Not only is he hot, he's funny, nice, and he has the most attractive voice."

"I don't think I'll ever be falling asleep in that class," Orihime and Rukia chorused together.

Ichigo chuckled in amusement at the two girl's dreamy expressions. "Looks like some people have a crush."

"Hey," Uryu interjected, frowning lightly, "Boyfriend present."

"For a boyfriend, you sure are calm about your girlfriend basically drooling over another guy," Renji commented.

Ichigo glanced at Orihime, who was quickly wiping her mouth with her sleeve and bright blush coloring her cheeks. "She is drooling."

Uryu shrugged. "He's a teacher. Teacher-student relationships can never happen. It's basically illegal."

"It is illegal," Renji corrected.

"I'd be jealous," Rukia warned. "He's one good looking teacher."

"See," Orihime cried, standing up on her seat. "Just you wait!"

"Orihime, sit down," Tatsuki said, tugging Orihime down by the edge of shirt.

"I doubt Ichigo's interested in teachers," Renji snorted.

"I am kind of curious," Ichigo admitted. "He is making really a ruckus among the students."

"No way," Renji responded, looking flabbergasted. "Don't tell me you're going to fall head of heels for him when you see him, too."

"Someone's getting a little jealous," Tatsuki teased.

Renji sent a glare in her direction. "I am not."

"Anyways," Ichigo said, looking at Rukia, "Do you remember me telling you about the mysterious man?"

Rukia nodded.

"He's a new student here."

Rukia's eyes widened in barely contained excitement, as she asked, "Seriously?"

"Yep," Ichigo responded.

"You have to point him out to me," Rukia demanded in excitement, her lips curved into a grin. "Is he in this lunch?"

"Nope," Ichigo responded, the feeling of depression setting in again. "I haven't seen him since this morning."

"I'm sure you'll see him again," Rukia assured him.

"See who again," Renji asked curiously.

Rukia pursed her lips at him and commanded, "Never mind. Eat you lunch, Renji."

Ichigo sniggered silently as Renji frowned at Rukia, before going back to eating his lunch. Rukia was quite bossy. Lunch passed by quickly, and Ichigo was left rushing to get rid of his tray and make it to class.

"I'll see you in literature," Renji called, laughing as he exited the cafeteria.

Ichigo struggled to make it through the crowd of students exiting the cafeteria. One kid bumped into Ichigo, causing his tray to fall from his hands to the floor. Ichigo groaned in frustration as he picked up the garbage off the floor. By that point the lunch room was empty and Ichigo hurried to discard his tray and make it to class. Handing the tray to the lunch lady, Ichigo made his way out of the cafeteria and headed towards his locker. The orange haired teen quickly made it to his locker and pulled his backpack out as the ball rang for class. Ichigo swore under his breath as he shouldered his backpack and rushed towards class. He couldn't believe he was going to be late to class on the first day of school. Not only that, but it was with the new, apparently hot, teacher. Ichigo groaned in frustration as he rushed down the hall and into the classroom.

"Sorry I'm late," Ichigo apologized, his excuse dying on his tongue.

Standing at the front of the classroom was the same blue haired man that had run into his locker earlier. Ichigo blinked in surprise. The man looked at the paper in his hands in bewilderment for a few seconds.

"You must be Mr. Kurosaki," he stated. "I'm glad you managed to join us."

This man wasn't a student, he was a teacher. The new teacher that everyone had been talking about all day long to be exact, and Ichigo had contemplated killing so that he wouldn't have to hear about him anymore.

Ichigo could feel his face heating up in embarrassment. "Sorry."

The man chuckled. "It's alright. The first day of school can be hectic. But let's not make this a habit, alright?"

"Yeah," Ichigo responded, fighting back the blush that was threatening to color his face.

"Why don't you take a seat," he suggested.

Ichigo looked at the classroom to see Renji sitting in the back and no seats open around him. The only seat open was in the front row in the middle. Front and center. Ichigo suppressed a groan and took his seat. The teacher's name was written on white board. Mr. Jeagerjaques. It was an unusual name.

"So, as I was saying. This is my first year as a teacher, so I don't know much about teaching a class full of high school students," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, standing right in front of Ichigo with his hands resting on the edges of his desk. "And obviously you guys don't know me, so let's get to know each other a bit today."

Momo, a girl who sat next to Ichigo, shot her hand up quickly. "Can we ask you questions?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked surprised, but shrugged. "Sure, if you want."

"How old are you," she quickly asked, causing a little smile to slip onto his face.

"Twenty-two," he told her.

Ichigo stared at him in surprise. He was definitely the youngest teacher in the school. Did that mean he got this job fresh out of college?

"I got this job just as I finished my last year of college," he continued with a laugh, almost like he had read Ichigo's thoughts. "It was a lucky break."

"Are you single," someone from the back of the class asked, making the class erupted into laughter.

Mr. Jeagerjaques blanked out for a minute, before quickly rearranging his features into a grin. "In fact I am."

"What's your first name," someone else asked.

"Grimmjow, but none of you can call me that," he told the class.

"Favorite color?"

"Black and blue," he responded.

Ichigo smirked lightly. "Like a bruise."

The class laughed again and Mr. Jeagerjaques stared at Ichigo with a startled expression. Ichigo narrowed his eyes in confusion. What had been so surprising about his statement? Mr. Jeagerjaques quickly averted his eyes and cleared his throat.

"Someone said the same thing to me awhile back," he told Ichigo, scratching the back of his head. "You surprised me."

"Sorry," Ichigo apologized, confused.

Mr. Jeagerjaques shook his head. "Um, next question."

"Are you lactose intolerant?"

The class continued to have a question and answer session with Mr. Jeagerjaques. It was pretty entertaining Ichigo had to admit. Mr. Jeagerjaques had a good sense of humor and seemed like an easy person to get along with. After the questions ran out, he handed us the course expectations and a list of materials we would need for class, before leaving us to talk amongst ourselves. A herd of students quickly gathered around his desk and began talking to him animatedly. Renji walked up to Ichigo and sat down in the empty seat beside the orange haired teen. Ichigo turned to face his friend as he stretched in his seat.

"Good job coming to class late," Renji said, shaking his head. "Now you're stuck in the front and center seat."

Ichigo shrugged. "Whatever. I don't really care."

Renji raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice. "It can't be because you, too, have fallen for Mr. Jeagerjaques good looks, can it?"

Ichigo snorted, his face heating up just the tiniest bit, "Of course not."

"Just checking," Renji chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "He seems to be very popular."

Ichigo nodded, looking at the flock of students at me Mr. Jeagerjaques desk. He seemed to be enjoying talking to them. Mr. Jeagerjaques had to only be about four or five years older than most of them. Ichigo quickly counted in his head how much older he was than him, only five years, and in about two months, only four. It sucked that the man was his teacher. Well, there went any fantasies Ichigo had about having a relationship with him.

The period soon ended and the class began heading out the room. Ichigo quickly opened his backpack and stuffed in the papers he had received in class as fast as he could.

"I'm going ahead," Renji said, standing up. "I don't want to be late."

"Wait," Ichigo demanded, shoving the papers deeper into his bag. "Renji!"

Renji ignored him and kept walking, as Ichigo gave one final shove and zipped his backpack shut. In a rush, Ichigo hurried after Renji, only to trip over the leg of his desk and land flat on his face with a smack.

"Are you okay," Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, sounding slightly amused and concerned at the same time.

Ichigo pushed his self, red faced, off the floor and nodded stiffly to the teacher behind him before quickly walking to the door. If that wasn't the definition of embarrassment, then Ichigo didn't know what was. Ichigo heard his teacher chuckle to his self as he exited the room, face still as red as his namesake.

"Don't be late tomorrow, Ichigo."

* * *

**A/N****: **I'm on a roll! Well, what do you guys think? I know Grimmjow seems pretty out of character right now, but don't let that fool you. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!

Ichigo: You hate me.  
Author: No, I don't! I just love to torture you. =D


	4. Chapter 4: Unexpected Company

"I told you he was hot."

Ichigo looked up to see Rukia standing over him, a smug smile on her lips.

"He's alright," Ichigo shrugged nonchalantly.

"Oh, come on," Rukia cried.

Ichigo chuckled, "Alright, he's handsome. But listen to this; he's the mystery stranger I met last week."

"No way," she responded, her mouth dropping open in shock.

"That's him," Ichigo said somberly.

"So, I'm taking it that new student is actually new literature teacher," Rukia asked ruefully.

Ichigo answered, "Yep."

"That's an unfortunate turn of events," Rukia chuckled.

Ichigo nodded his head in agreement, before he told her about his embarrassing first impression he had made with their new teacher. By time Ichigo finished talking, Rukia had dissolved into giggles. Ichigo frowned in annoyance and crossed his arms over his chest. He definitely didn't find any of what happened to him funny in the least.

"That's a way to make a good first impression," Rukia sniffed, wiping the corner of her eye with her sleeve.

"Shut up," Ichigo huffed. "It's not like I did it on purpose. I was trying to catch up with Renji."

"What about me," Renji asked, appearing out of the blue.

Ichigo stared at his red haired friend in confusion. "Didn't you finish Spanish four last year?"

"I failed last year, by one point," Renji shrugged.

"Why did you retake the whole class again," Ichigo asked, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"It looks better for college," Renji told him.

Ichigo nodded in agreement.

"Guess what everyone," Mr. Kyoraku, the Spanish teacher, began exuberantly, "Tenemos un prueba!"

The whole class groaned. It was the first day of school and they had to take a quiz. Rukia dropped into the seat next to Ichigo and Renji slumped on Ichigo's desk, sitting in the desk in front of the orange haired teen.

"We would have a quiz on the first day of Spanish class," Renji muttered, making a nasty face.

"Date la vuelta, Renji," Mr. Kyoruka commanded, and Renji grudgingly obliged, turning to face the front of the room.

The quiz was passed out and Ichigo was relieved to see that he already knew most of what was on page. It was mostly old verbs and verbs to conjugate. Ichigo quickly finished the test and flipped it over. With that finished, Ichigo sat in his seat and drummed his fingertips on the desktop. He was relieved that the first day of school was over, not that it had been bad by any means. It was just too hectic for his likings. And his embarrassing encounter with his new teacher definitely didn't help improve the day any either. He sighed, continuing to drum his fingers on the desk.

"Ichigo," Renji hissed at him.

Ichigo glanced at his friend and raised an eyebrow at him, still drumming his fingers on the desk. Renji suddenly slammed his fist down on Ichigo's fingers and he hissed in pain, retracting them out of Renji's reach under the desk. Ichigo rubbed his throbbing fingers and glared at Renji petulantly.

"What was that for," Ichigo demanded in a furious whisper.

"It was getting annoying," he responded, just as quietly.

"You could've just asked," Ichigo hissed.

"This was much more effective, don't you agree," Renji asked cheekily.

"Renji, date la vuelta, ahora," Mr. Kyoraku ordered. "Do you want a zero on your quiz?"

"No," Renji grumbled, turning to face the front.

Ichigo sighed and leaned back in his seat. He couldn't wait for school to be over, so that he could go home and maybe take a nap. But he had to go grocery shopping first, since he didn't pick up much last week.

"Alright everyone, pass your quizzes to the front," Mr. Kyoraku said.

The rustling of paper filled the room as the quizzes were handed forwards. Ichigo handed his quiz to Renji and leaned back in his seat again. He drifted off for the rest of class as Mr. Kyoraku reviewed the course expectations with the class. When the bell went off signaling the end of school, Ichigo quickly evacuated his seat and picked up his backpack from the floor before leaving the classroom. Rukia and Renji quickly caught up with Ichigo as they all walked out of school.

"I don't want to walk home," Rukia complained.

Renji smirked, "You're so lazy."

"Like you don't complain about walking places," Rukia retorted, scowling.

"But I'm not lazy," Renji said.

Rukia growled, "Shut up."

"Both of you guys stop it," Ichigo interjected cutting them off. "It's not a long walk and if you guys are going to continue to flirt with each other, I'm leaving."

Both of their faces turned bright pink as they shouted in unison, "We weren't flirting!"

Ichigo snickered at them both before heading down the street with a flustered Rukia hurrying to catch up with him. Rukia chattered to him the whole way to his house, where he waved goodbye to her and she continued walking back to her house. Ichigo tried the doorknob to find it locked, meaning his father had left for work. Sighing, he pulled out his key and locked the door. Walking into the house, Ichigo headed to the kitchen not even bothering to take his shoes off. On the counter was some money with a note resting on top of it labeled 'Food Money'. Pocketing the money, Ichigo sauntered into the living room and lay down on the couch, flipping the TV on.

...

Ichigo woke with a start as a rather loud commercial came on the TV, startling him. He hadn't even realized that he had fallen asleep. Stretching on the couch, Ichigo pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at the time. The phone read six o'clock.

"Damn it," Ichigo muttered, getting off the couch.

He still had to go grocery shopping. Honey brown eyes glanced out the window to see the sky beginning to change. He frowned. It would be pitch black out soon. Ichigo clicked his tongue in annoyance as he checked to make sure his keys were still in his pocket before heading out of the house. He strode quickly down the sidewalk in the direction of grocery store. Memories of the last time he had went to the store late washed through his mind. The memory of finding his teacher about to be assaulted in alleyway, only made him hasten his pace. Ichigo definitely didn't want a repeat of that.

He made it to the store as the sun's light had nearly faded from the sky. Ichigo frowned in annoyance, before getting what he came here for. He tried to be as quick as possible, but in the end it was pitch black outside anyways by the time he left. Walking as fast as possible down the street, Ichigo kept an eye out for anything suspicious. His stomach was tight with unease as his mind came up with the possibility that those thugs from last time could be out here. If they were out tonight, he hoped that they wouldn't remember his face.

Ichigo slowed as he came upon the alley from the other night. He stopped just outside it and listened intently for a moment. There wasn't a sound coming out of the alley. Ichigo sighed in relief.

"Damn it!"

Ichigo jumped in shock, dropping his groceries in the process, at the sound of someone's voice near him. He swiveled on his heel to look behind his self to see if anyone was there. There wasn't. Relaxing, Ichigo bent down and picked up his groceries.

"Excuse me—"

"No," Ichigo shouting, his mind conjuring up ridiculous thoughts that the thugs from the other night had found him. "I didn't mean to hit you with my groceries! It was an accident!"

"Ichigo?"

Ichigo froze immediately, recognizing the voice of the man speaking behind him. Slowly, he turned around to come face-to-face with Mr. Jeagerjaques. He raised an eyebrow and held up his hands defensively. Ichigo flushed in embarrassment at his random outburst.

"What are you doing here," Ichigo asked, regaining his composure.

"What are _you_ doing here? It's dangerous to be out alone at night," he said, sounding a bit irritated.

Ichigo pointed at the groceries lying on the ground again, as he responded, "Grocery shopping."

"Don't you have a car or something," he asked, still sounding a bit irritated.

Ichigo shrugged, "My dad has it."

He pursed his lips. "Oh."

"What are you doing out here alone? Trying to get into another fight," Ichigo questioned, bending to retrieve his groceries.

Mr. Jeagerjaques quickly snatched before Ichigo could. "Actually, my car ran out of gas. I was just trying to figure out what to do, seeing as the nearest gas station is a few miles away."

Ichigo frowned, wondering why he wasn't handing his groceries back to him.

He hesitated, before saying, "I think my dad keeps a few gallons in the shed for our lawn mower. If you want you can—"

"Sounds good," Mr. Jeagerjaques cut him off, brushing past him. "Your house is this way, right?"

"Um, yeah," Ichigo replied, frowning.

"Stick close to me. Who knows who's out here," he said, walking down the street.

Ichigo frowned as he quickly caught up with his teacher. Mr. Jeagerjaques lead them back to his house, not once asking for directions. He walked all the way up to the front door and stood to the side, waiting expectantly still holding Ichigo's groceries. Ichigo watched him suspiciously as he pulled out his keys and unlocked the door. He entered first, heading straight for the kitchen. Ichigo followed behind him, still frowning.

"How did you know where my kitchen is," Ichigo asked, flipping the lights on.

Light flooded the kitchen as Mr. Jeagerjaques set the groceries down on the counter.

He glanced at Ichigo and shrugged, "I noticed it the other day."

"Oh," Ichigo responded, which was followed by an awkward silence. "Do you want that gas now?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques gave him a mysterious smile. "You aren't going to offer me some coffee?"

"You want it," Ichigo asked, as he blinked in confusion.

"Well, all that walking made me thirsty," he said.

Ichigo hesitated as he tried to decide what to do. The man was his teacher. He probably shouldn't have him in his house to begin with. But then again, it was Mr. Jeagerjaques and he didn't want him to leave just yet. It had been pure luck that he had run into him again.

"Sure," Ichigo finally responded, walking around his teacher.

...

"Here," Ichigo said, placing the cup of coffee on the coffee table in front of him.

Mr. Jeagerjaques gave Ichigo a polite smile as he picked up the cup, putting to his lips, and taking a sip. He made a face, putting the cup back down.

"Sugar," he requested sweetly.

"Sure, I'll go get it," Ichigo told him, treading back into the kitchen.

It took Ichigo a few minutes to find the porcelain jar they kept the sugar in. Grabbing a spoon before he left the kitchen, he returned to the living room. Mr. Jeagerjaques watched him expectantly as he placed the sugar and spoon down before him.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Ichigo responded automatically.

Ichigo stood awkwardly where he was for a couple more brief seconds before taking a seat across from his teacher on the couch. Mr. Jeagerjaques picked up the sugar and began to pile spoonful after spoonful into his cup. So much to the point that Ichigo doubted you could even taste the coffee anymore.

"Isn't that a little unhealthy," Ichigo commented, as he lifted the cup to his lips and took a sip.

He shrugged, "Most likely. But I like it better this way."

"Like a kid," Ichigo commented again.

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled, "I suppose so."

The room lapsed back into silence and Ichigo stared awkwardly at the floor. He wasn't sure what to say and for that matter what he _could_ say to his teacher. Because let's face it, he definitely didn't know the man. And normal small talk just sounded ridiculous to Ichigo. The teen glanced up to see Mr. Jeagerjaques staring at him with a pained expression. Confused, Ichigo furrowed his brows and his frown deepened. Why was he staring at him like that? Mr. Jeagerjaques abruptly looked away, a scowl marring his features.

After a bit more of the continued the silence, Ichigo could no longer and take it. "So the other day, did you know those guys?"

He nodded his head.

"Yeah," he hesitated before continuing, "They were from the gang I used to be in."

Ichigo nodded as he spoke and then what his teacher had said finally registered in his head.

His jaw dropped. "You were in a gang?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques nodded, grinning at him, "Yep. Get me more coffee."

Ichigo stared at him with his mouth still open. Did his teacher just order him to get him more coffee in his own house? What happened to the nice, suave, and handsome literature teacher?"

"Get to it," he said, shooing Ichigo with his hands.

Still in shock, Ichigo stood up and went into the kitchen to make his teacher another cup of coffee. So, not only was his teacher an ex-delinquent, but he either had a split personality or he was a total fake at school. There was the possibility that he was just reading into this wrong. No, that seemed almost impossible. The man was definitely ordering him around. But maybe he meant it in a friendly way. Ichigo almost snorted at the thought. Yeah, right.

After Ichigo finished making the cup of coffee, he went back into the living room. Mr. Jeagerjaques was pawing through a bowl of candy on the table, frowning deeply at the bowl. He sure was making his self at home. Ichigo set the cup down in front of him and he immediately pulled it to him, pouring in heaps of sugar again.

Ichigo sunk down onto the couch across from his teacher. "You weren't really going to let those thugs beat you up, were you?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques barked out a laugh, "No way. I could take them."

"You sound confident. What if they did manage to get you," Ichigo asked.

"Impossible. No one can beat me. But it was funny, when you hit that guy in the head with a bag of cans."

Ichigo frowned at Mr. Jeagerjaques, who was downing his coffee. Was this he serious about him being an ex-gangster? How had he managed to become a teacher then? Did he still fight for fun?

"More coffee," Mr. Jeagerjaques ordered.

"Are you kidding me," Ichigo responded, gaping at him. "More than two cups in one sitting? That's really unhealthy."

"Who are you? My mother," his teacher retorted.

"No, but—"

"I want more coffee," Mr. Jeagerjaques interrupted, holding out his cup, "Now."

Ichigo jumped as his teacher cracked his knuckles menacingly. Grabbing the cup, Ichigo hurried into the kitchen to make his teacher another cup of coffee. Ichigo momentarily wondered how the man could be so tall if he drank so much coffee, or how his teeth could be so white. He must have gained immunity to it.

"This is your last cup," Ichigo told him, giving him the cup of coffee.

"I get to decide that," he told Ichigo, wagging his finger at him. "I'm hungry. Go make me something to eat."

"No," Ichigo cried, staring at him incredulously. "I just made you three cups of coffee! Now you want me to make you something to eat?"

"Obviously… because I'm hungry," he said slowly, making sure to emphasize every syllable.

Ichigo stared at him in disbelief. "Get out."

"No," he responded calmly.

"No," Ichigo reiterated.

"What if the thugs are out there," he asked in mock fear. "They might have come back."

"I don't care," Ichigo snapped.

Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked and cracked his knuckles. "Should I teach you a lesson about kicking m out?"

Ichigo's eyes widened as he stepped back away from his teacher, only to fall over the coffee table. He landed on his back with a dull thud. Lying on the ground he stared up at the ceiling in surprise.

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled, "I'm not really going to beat you up."

Ichigo closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was unbelievable. He seemed like such a nice guy at school, but the guy was actually a demanding devil! How would the people in school take it when he told them?

"They won't believe it," Ichigo muttered to his self.

Ichigo heard Mr. Jeagerjaques stand up stand up and he appeared over him momentarily. He brought down his hand and grabbed the front of Ichigo's shirt, pulling him to his feet. Ichigo scrambled up by his self to save his self from being choked. Mr. Jeagerjaques smiled innocently at Ichigo.

"I hope you don't mean the students and the faculty at the school, when you say 'they'," he remarked.

"Oh, yes I did," Ichigo told him. "When they find out you're actually like this—"

"But they aren't going to," Mr. Jeagerjaques cut him off.

"What? Of course they are if I tell them," Ichigo snapped.

"But you won't…right?" Mr. Jeagerjaques smiled at him, but Ichigo could sense the danger behind his words. "You wouldn't want anything to happen to you, would you?"

Was he threatening him? Ichigo gawked at him. He definitely was. He still had that sweet tone to his voice, but his eyes were screaming, 'tell anyone, and you're dead.' Ichigo didn't particularly want to die at the present time. He wondered if he could get a rain check.

"Um, okay. I won't tell anyone," Ichigo muttered, looking to the side.

Stupid, blackmailing, devil of a teacher.

"Good. Now go make me some dinner," Mr. Jeagerjaques demanded.

"What," Ichigo asked, dumbfounded.

"Make some food," he told him, frowning slightly. "Is your hearing okay?"

"My hearing is fine," Ichigo snapped. "But why should I make you food?"

"I'm hungry," he said.

_Obviously_, Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Why can't you go home and eat?"

"Don't you have to make dinner for yourself? Why don't you just make me some as well," he asked.

After a moment of silence, Ichigo sighed in defeat, "Fine."

"Great," he responded enthusiastically.

"But your helping," Ichigo stated.

Mr. Jeagerjaques groaned, but followed Ichigo into the kitchen. Ichigo ordered him to put the groceries, while he got out the cooking utensils and supplies. So much for having all that steak to his self, he sighed. He grabbed a pan for the steak, a baking sheet for the potatoes, and a pot for the vegetables. Ichigo didn't care what he wanted to eat, if he demanded that he make something, he would eat what Ichigo wanted to eat.

"Wrap two potatoes in tin foil," Ichigo told him, tossing him the roll of tinfoil. "And then put them on the cooking sheet. When you're done, start peeling carrots."

He grunted in response and Ichigo heard him mutter a complaint, but ignored him. After a few moments of searching the drawers, he realized the vegetable peelers were missing. Frowning, he pulled out two knives as a replacement. Ichigo started peeling carrots as Mr. Jeagerjaques continued to wrap the potatoes in tinfoil. When he was done, he sat down next to Ichigo and picked up a carrot and a knife.

Ichigo was aware that he was watching him for a few moments as he continued to peel the carrots, finally he looked over at him. "What?"

"You're good at that," Mr. Jeagerjaques commented, slowly and awkwardly peeling his own carrot. "Do you cook a lot?'

"Every night," Ichigo told him, continuing peeling his carrot.

"Where's your parents," he asked.

"My dad has to work late in order to support us. I don't want him to worry him to worry about unimportant things like cooking, laundry, cleaning, and stuff like that, so I do it," Ichigo shrugged, not mentioning his mother.

"Impressive," he commented, nodding his head.

"What about you," Ichigo asked.

"I live alone. I don't really like cooking, so I normally go out or something," Mr. Jeagerjaques told him.

"That's unhealthy," Ichigo commented.

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled, "Sometimes my neighbor will make me dinner. She's a nice lady."

_I hope you don't order her to do that_, Ichigo thought with a grimace. Ichigo watched his teacher peel a second longer before he reached out a hand to stop his.

"What," he asked, pausing his motions.

"You're going to cut yourself like that," Ichigo told him, taking the knife away from him. "Be careful."

"It was working fine," he shrugged.

"Hold it going down and hold the carrot from the top," Ichigo ordered, putting the knife back in his hand the correct way and showing him how to do it.

"Fine," he muttered.

By the time dinner was done, Ichigo was worn out. Cooking with Mr. Jeagerjaques was something he didn't ever want to do again. It was like the man was purposely doing the wrong things. Ichigo placed the two plates down on the table, where Mr. Jeagerjaques was already seated.

"Get me some water," Mr. Jeagerjaques demanded as soon as he sat down.

Ichigo faked a smile at him and stood up, "My pleasure."

He went to the cupboards and pulled out two glasses, which he filled with ice and water. Returning to the table, Ichigo set the cups on the table before resuming his seat. Mr. Jeagerjaques grabbed his glass and took a large gulp.

"Well," Ichigo said.

"Well, what," his teacher responded.

"Aren't you going to say thank you," Ichigo asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Oh. Thank you," he said.

Ichigo nodded approvingly, thinking his teacher was just going to ignore him. They are in almost complete silence, with small comments here and there, or Mr. Jeagerjaques demanding something. Ichigo started on his steak, shaking excessive amounts of salt on it. Mr. Jeagerjaques hand shot out to stop him.

"Whoa, relax on the salt there," he said.

Ichigo frowned at him. "I like salt."

"You'll die early," he warned him.

"Like you should talk," Ichigo snorted. "You use way too much sugar in your coffee, and you drink too much of it, too!"

"But it's not as bad as salt," he said, shrugging.

"How do you know," Ichigo grumbled.

"I have a minor in biology," he responded.

Ichigo had completely forgotten that he was a teacher. How could he have forgotten that the man across from him was his teacher? And his decided to start listing Mr. Jeagerjaques attractive qualities. Ichigo mentally slapped his self. He shouldn't be thinking about his teacher like this. Mr. Jeagerjaques abruptly stood up, pulling Ichigo out of his thoughts. Ichigo stared at him curiously, puzzled about his sudden movements.

He stretched for a moment, and then waved at Ichigo. "I'm leaving now."

"You're not even going to help me pick up," Ichigo asked incredulously, "or finish?"

"Nope," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded with a wink. "I'll stop by some other time for another meal."

"You can't," Ichigo told him, slightly surprised.

"Why not," his teacher asked.

"You're my teacher and I'm your student. It'd be…weird," Ichigo finished lamely.

Mr. Jeagerjaques laughed. "No, it wouldn't. It's not like we're doing anything bad. And besides…"

"What," Ichigo asked irritably.

"You're the only one who knows, and will ever know, about my 'other' personality," he told Ichigo with another wink.

"Wait, do you want me to get the gas for you," Ichigo asked, changing the subject.

He shook his head. "It's cold outside, you should stay in here. I can figure it out."

Ichigo frowned slightly. "After you open the shed door it'll be on the shelf directly to the right. "

"Thanks," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, turning to give him a quick smile. "Goodbye, Ichigo Kurosaki."

* * *

**A/N****: **Here's chapter four! Does Grimmjow sound a bit more like his self? Well tell me what you guys think so far. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!

Ichigo: You made seem like a girl. *Pouts*  
Author: *Looks away innocently.*


	5. Chapter 5: Late Again

"No way," Rukia gasped, staring at Ichigo with wide eyes, "He ate dinner at your house with you?"

"Shh," Ichigo hushed her, looking around the cafeteria for anyone that might have heard. "You can't tell anybody!"

"I won't," Rukia responded, making an 'X' over her heart. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

Ichigo sighed and kicked the trashcan they were standing next to. It had become a habit to have private conversations near the trashcan for Rukia and him, so everyone knew when they were there not to come throw their trash away. Rukia grinned to herself, glancing at Mr. Jeagerjaques, who had just entered the cafeteria.

"There's your dinner guest," Rukia commented, nudging Ichigo in the shoulder. "Go talk to him."

"And be beaten to death? I don't think so," Ichigo retorted, rolling his eyes. "I don't trust that guy. He's got a split personality."

Rukia laughed, shaking her head at him. "I don't know what you're talking about. From what I know of him, he's about as mean as a nun."

"That didn't make sense," Ichigo commented.

"Shut up," Rukia responded quickly.

Ichigo laughed. "Well, believe what you want. You weren't the one that was basically forced to make him a dozen cups of coffee and dinner.

"I would have done it _willingly_ anyways," Rukia snorted.

Ichigo rolled his eyes at her. "Oh, what do you know? Here comes Renji. I'm going to leave you two to talk."

Rukia blew a raspberry at him. "Okay. But tell me if anything happens between you and Mr. Jeagerjaques."

"There's nothing going to happen between us," Ichigo hissed at her, giving her one last warning look before turning his back on her.

Ichigo quickly looked around for Mr. Jeagerjaques; he didn't want to run into him when getting in line for lunch. To his luck, it seemed like he had left the cafeteria already. Ichigo stood in a lunch line, shoving his hands into his pockets to get his lunch money, and letting out a sigh of relief.

"Why the sigh," a voice behind him asked.

Ichigo jumped and twisted around to see Mr. Jeagerjaques standing behind him. He smiled pleasantly at the teen, looking innocent. Ichigo eyed him suspiciously.

"Well," he asked.

"Just thinking," Ichigo responded slowly, "about you."

"Falling for my good looks already? I thought you were different from most of the girls here," Mr. Jeagerjaques said.

"No," Ichigo snapped, frowning at him, "About your split personality."

"Shh," Mr. Jeagerjaques hushed him.

"Why," Ichigo questioned.

Mr. Jeagerjaques lowered his voice, giving him an urgent look. "If anyone finds out how I used to be, I'll be fired, and I really need the money right now. So, shut up about it. Please," he added, trying to cover up for his rudeness.

Ichigo blinked at him. He said please? Maybe he wasn't as bad as Ichigo thought he was. Well, as long as he ignored the 'shut up' in his last sentence.

When they made it to the front of the line, Ichigo noticed there was chicken soup on the soup list. Chicken soup definitely sounded good to Ichigo right now. Mr. Jeagerjaques cut in front of him and Ichigo frowned, but he was a teacher and students had to let teachers cut, so he couldn't protest. He ordered chicken soup, just like Ichigo was about to.

"What would you like, dear," the cafeteria lady asked, after Mr. Jeagerjaques got his soup.

"Chicken soup," Ichigo responded.

"Sorry, we just ran out," she said.

Ichigo heard Mr. Jeagerjaques snort in front of him. He stared at the lunch lady in disbelief, his right eye twitching in annoyance. It was just his luck.

"I guess a cheeseburger then," Ichigo murmured.

The lunch lady smiled and placed a cheeseburger on his tray. Ichigo made his way to the cash register and paid for his cheeseburger. Mr. Jeagerjaques was paying at the other one. When he got his change back, Ichigo made his way back to his table but Mr. Jeagerjaques stopped him.

"What," Ichigo asked, slightly annoyed.

"Here," he said, placing the soup on his tray. "You can have it."

Ichigo looked at him in surprise. "Um, thanks. Why?"

"A thank you for yesterday," he responded, before walking off with a wave.

Ichigo frowned after him for a moment. He really couldn't tell if that guy was nice or not. Mr. Jeagerjaques seemed nice, but pushy. Or maybe he was just faking it. Ichigo pursed his lips. He was so confusing.

Ichigo walked back over to his table, where Renji and Orihime were talking. Uryu and Tatsuki were frowning at the pair looking irritated. Ichigo watched curiously from a distance for a moment, before going to sit down. Uryu and Tatsuki looked at him pityingly.

"You should have waited before coming back," Tatsuki told him, stifling a yawn with her hand.

"Why," Ichigo asked.

"Listen," Uryu responded, pointing to the two who were focusing on the wall on the other side of the lunchroom.

"Ring, ring," Renji said, his face impassive.

"Hello," Orihime responded, her face mimicking Renji's.

"Ring, ring," Renji repeated.

"H-hello," Orihime responded, her face still straight.

"Ring, ring," Renji repeated.

"He…hello," she responded.

"Ring, rin—"

"Okay," Ichigo yelled, cutting off Renji, and slamming his fists down. "Must you two mimic stupid videos from YouTube every day?"

"Oh chill, Ichigo," Renji responded, laughing. "You haven't had to deal with it all summer. And I think it's catch up time."

"And you have the line wrong," Orihime continued, frowning at Ichigo. "It's: _You have a bad connection_!"

Ichigo frowned at them as they continued laughing. Uryu and Tatsuki chuckled as he rubbed his forehead.

"Told you," they both chorused.

"It could be worse," Ichigo told them. "At least they aren't reciting the whole video."

"True," Tatsuki responded, nodding her head. "I don't know how they manage to memorize something like that, but boy do they get it spot on."

"No kidding," Ichigo mumbled.

"So, are you going to the fair this weekend," Tatsuki asked, as Ichigo started to eat his lunch.

"There's a fair," Ichigo questioned, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Yeah, at the fairgrounds," Tatsuki explained. "It's one of those traveling fairs. I bet this will be the only time it's going here."

"Huh," Ichigo grunted.

"So, are you going to go," Tatsuki repeated.

Ichigo shrugged, "Maybe. I don't think I have any plans. Who else is going?"

"Me," Renji interjected, "Rukia, and Chad."

"And me," Uryu added, "Orihime, and Tatsuki."

Tatsuki nodded her head, "So, basically everyone."

"Well, I guess I am then," Ichigo said with a chuckle. "Are we meeting up anywhere? What time?"

"Seven," Renji informed him, stealing his milk.

"Hey," Ichigo snapped, reaching over to take it back. "I'm not done with that."

Renji smirked and stood up. "That's too bad, because lunch is over."

As soon as he finished talking, sure enough, the bell rang. Ichigo quickly stood up, swiping the milk back from Renji and grabbing his tray. He cursed his self as he began pushing his way through the throng of people leaving the cafeteria.

If he were late twice in a row, now that he knew the 'other' side of Mr. Jeagerjaques, what would he do? Ichigo managed to avoid spilling his tray and gave it to the lunch lady. He smirked to his self. There was no way that he could be late today. He would just skip stopping at his locker. They probably wouldn't need anything anyways. To be safe, Ichigo still jogged towards class. The people in the hall were slowly disappearing, but there were still a few so Ichigo knew he was still safe. He turned the corner and stopped quickly, nearly running into a group of teachers walking down the hall together. Ichigo scowled at them. They would have to walk a little faster; otherwise he would have to push past them.

To his annoyance, they continued walking slowly. They were talking and laughing so loudly they didn't hear him say 'excuse me' or 'move' no matter how many times he repeated them. Ichigo continued to scowl. Now he was going to be late for sure. But his luck changed, and they went into a classroom. He started sprinting once they were out of his way. Ichigo had maybe ten seconds, if he was lucky, and the language arts hall was about fifteen yards away. He could make it. Ichigo turned the corner to the hall and ran into something hard, letting out a surprised yelp and falling to the ground. He landed on his butt and winced, groaning.

"I'm so sorry," the person he had run into apologized.

The bell rang and he hung his head in defeat.

"It doesn't matter. It's already too late," he sighed.

A hand appeared in front of him and he grabbed it. He was pulled to his feet and he nodded his head in thanks to the person he ran into. When Ichigo looked up, he realized it was a boy named Izuru Kira in the grade below him. Ichigo muttered an apology and sulked to the classroom. He entered the room and all eyes were suddenly on him. Mr. Jeagerjaques looked at him and smirked for a split second, but he quickly replaced it with a frown.

"This is the second day in a row that you've been late, Mr. Kurosaki," he told him.

_As if that wasn't obvious_, Ichigo mentally rolled his eyes.

"I know," he responded. "Sorry."

Mr. Jeagerjaques smiled politely. "I excused you yesterday, but may I talk to you after class today?"

Ichigo stared at him. Being alone with his teacher definitely didn't sound good. He'd probably beat him up or something for being late.

"Is there a problem," Mr. Jeagerjaques asked.

"No," he responded, his shoulders sagging.

"Please have a seat then," he said, gesturing him forwards with his hands. "We haven't begun the lesson yet, so you're still okay."

Ichigo slunk to his seat and slipped in, sighing deeply. He had been nice so far today, so maybe Ichigo would only get a light scolding or something? Ichigo hoped so. Someone poked his shoulder and he turned to see his friend, Neliel, smirking at him.

"You and him alone, huh? You're pretty lucky. I think I might just be late to class so I can stay after with him," she said.

Ichigo snorted, "No, I wouldn't do that."

"Why," Nel asked.

"This guy is—"

Ichigo shut his mouth quickly when he felt a hand on his shoulder, pressing down very hard. He looked up to see Mr. Jeagerjaques smiling sweetly at him.

"Would you two please not talk during class," he asked.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Jeagerjaques," Nel responded, sounding flustered.

"It's quite alright, Neliel," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, smiling at her. "Just try to hold it in when I'm talking."

"Okay," Nel chippered.

Mr. Jeagerjaques released his shoulder and he had to resist the urge to rub it. This guy was most definitely evil. And he had to stay after school with him.

* * *

**A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter five. I can't wait to finish the next chapter, because I'm sure you guys will all love it. Well, what do you all think so far? Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!

Ichigo: You enjoy punishing me.  
Author: Only a little.  
Ichigo: ...  
Author: Ichigo? Ichigo, are you trying to give me the silent treatment?  
Ichigo: ...  
Author: Don't be cruel, Ichigo! You know your my favorite!  
Ichigo: ... *Smirks as Author continues to plead with him.*


	6. Chapter 6: Blackmail

Ichigo hesitated slightly before knocking on Mr. Jeagerjaques' door. His heart was pounding a mile a minute as he waited for him to answer. What was going to happen? Was he going to be yelled at or beaten up? Or maybe he was going to be nice about it and let him off the hook and he just couldn't say so in class? Ichigo heard the click of a lock and the door opened a sliver. Mr. Jeagerjaques head popped out and he looked left and right quickly. Ichigo watched him curiously until he suddenly opened the door a little more and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him into the room quick as a wink. He quickly shut the door after Ichigo and locked it.

"Why are you locking the door," Ichigo demanded, getting nervous, "Mr. Jeagerjaques?"

"Shh," he shushed Ichigo, a finger over his lips.

"Shh? Why," Ichigo questioned.

"Shh," he hushed him again.

"Tell me why, and I will—"

Suddenly Mr. Jeagerjaques' hand was over his mouth. He pulled Ichigo away from the door and pushed him against the wall, his eyes never leaving the door. Ichigo tried to pull his hand away from his mouth, but his force was too strong. He could hear girl's voices outside the door. They were giggling about something. Ichigo continued to try and pull Mr. Jeagerjaques' away from his mouth, because it was blocking his nose and mouth. Basically, he couldn't breathe. Mr. Jeagerjaques glared at him and he went limp, trying to stay as silent as possible. Ichigo even held his breath, even though he couldn't breathe in the first place. There was a knock at the door. Mr. Jeagerjaques was now holding his breath as well. After a moment there was a few more knocks.

"Is he there," Ichigo heard a girl ask. "Try the door."

There was a jiggle of the door handle and then a more violent one.

"It's locked," another girl responded. "Should we wait?"

"No, I've got to catch the bus," the other girl responded. "We can come back tomorrow."

"Okay."

There was the sound of footsteps, and after a minute all was silent. Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed, uncovering Ichigo's mouth. Ichigo gasped in air, trying to fill his lungs.

"Oh, sorry," Mr. Jeagerjaques apologized nonchalantly.

"You don't sound sorry," Ichigo snapped, still trying to catch his breath. "What was all that about anyway?"

"They probably wanted to talk to me," Mr. Jeagerjaques said.

"Why didn't you let them in," Ichigo asked.

"It's annoying," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded with a shrug.

Ichigo smiled in annoyance at him. He really couldn't figure this guy out. First he was nice, then he was a bastard, and then he was nice again. Ichigo sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Come with me, Mr. Kurosaki," Mr. Jeagerjaques said suddenly, beckoning Ichigo with his hand. "I have a job for you."

Ichigo followed him curiously to the equipment room that was attached to the main room. He walked in to find a bunch of books piled up high.

Ichigo turned to Mr. Jeagerjaques with a questioning look. "What am I supposed to do?"

"I want you to unpack all those books and put the items you have unpacked in their right places," he explained, gesturing towards the pile of boxes, "Simple, right?"

Ichigo gawked at him. "I can't do that!"

"Why not? You've been here longer than I have," he responded with a shrug. "I don't know where everything goes."

"But there's so much," Ichigo protested.

"You were late to class," he retorted.

"I'd rather have detention," Ichigo told him.

"Okay, you have detention with me today. This is what you will be doing," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded with a smirk.

"I refuse," Ichigo stated.

"Oh? Okay, then I will tell the principle that you had a romantic dinner with your teacher," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, shrugging.

"It wasn't romantic," Ichigo snapped. "And you'd get in trouble, too."

He smirked. "Yeah, but I'll take you down with me."

They had a scowling contest for a few minutes and Ichigo sighed. This was so unfair. Why did he have to do all this work just because he was late? Had he done something wrong? What was this devil-of-a-teacher's problem? He moved towards the first box and began trying to open it with his hands. Ichigo frowned when he couldn't manage to.

"Here," Mr. Jeagerjaques said.

He turned just in time to see Mr. Jeagerjaques throwing a knife at him. Ichigo jumped back, trying to get of the way and tripped over a box, landing flat over his back. Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled and shook his head. Ichigo scowled up at him.

"Don't throw knives," Ichigo barked at his teacher.

"Pay more attention," Mr. Jeagerjaques retorted.

"You could have stabbed me," Ichigo snapped.

"But I didn't," he responded.

Ichigo was about to retort, but he saved it. There was no way to win with him. Ichigo pushed his self off the ground and grabbed the knife off the ground, and began cutting the duct tape with it. When it was open, Ichigo began taking out the items and putting them away in their correct places. Somehow he ended up telling Mr. Jeagerjaques where everything went. The forth box was full of textbooks.

"These go in the cabinets in the room, because students use them," Ichigo told Mr. Jeagerjaques, heading towards the door that leads to the main classroom.

Before he made it out the door Mr. Jeagerjaques seized his wrist, stopping him. He nearly dropped the textbooks.

"What," Ichigo asked.

"Don't go out there," he ordered, pushing Ichigo back towards the boxes. "Just set those textbooks on the counter. You can do the stuff in the classroom later."

"Why not now," Ichigo questioned.

"The girls here stick around for quite a while," he responded.

"It's been an hour," Ichigo stated in surprise. "There aren't any more students in the school. Clubs haven't even started yet."

"There are girls alright," he said.

"It's only your second day, how could you know that," Ichigo asked.

"They were here until six yesterday," Mr. Jeagerjaques told him seriously. "They wouldn't stop talking and asking me personal questions. I swear if I hear another 'do you have a girlfriend' one more time—"

"You don't have a girlfriend," Ichigo stated, putting the textbooks on the counter and going back to a new box.

"How do you know," he asked.

"You said so in class yesterday," Ichigo replied, cutting the tape with a knife. "Someone asked you."

"Oh, yeah," he responded, leaning against the counter, where he had been for the past hour, watching him. "I thought you weren't listening."

Ichigo shrugged. "I listened."

Suddenly a shrill ringing filled the room. Ichigo's hand automatically went to his cell phone, but he was confused when the screen didn't show anything. Whose phone was it? He turned to see Mr. Jeagerjaques pulling out his phone.

"What," he asked in an irritated tone to whoever the call was. "No. I don't care. I'm busy… No. Do it yourself. I told you no. You can't always count on me; I'm a teacher now. No! I'm hanging up now, goodbye."

He snapped the phone shut and shoved it back into his pocket, an irritated expression on his face. Mr. Jeagerjaques noticed Ichigo staring and narrowed his eyes.

"What? Get back to work," he snapped.

"Yes, sir," Ichigo responded quickly, resisting the urge to make a sarcastic comment, turning around and sawing through the next box.

In his rush, Ichigo accidently missed the tape and ended up slicing his self. He hissed in pain and shook his hand.

"What," his teacher questioned.

"Nothing," Ichigo replied, smiling at him, holding his hand behind his back, and starting to saw through the next box with one hand.

Mr. Jeagerjaques returned to the magazine he was reading and Ichigo continued with the box. With one hand, opening the box was a bit harder, but eventually he got it open. Ichigo looked at his other hand for the first time after slicing it. The amount of blood that had already come out of his cut caught him off guard. His jaw dropped in surprise. He didn't think it was too deep. Well, the first thing that he needed was bandage or something to stop the bleeding; otherwise he would get blood everywhere. Suddenly a hand captured his wrist and held it still. He looked up to see Mr. Jeagerjaques tearing off a piece of bandage with his teeth. Ichigo stayed silent as he wrapped the bandage around his hand, sealing off his cut. Mr. Jeagerjaques wrapped it with medical tape and let go of his hand.

"Thanks," Ichigo said to him as he put the bandages back into what looked like a first aid kit.

"Be more careful," he warned, stuffing the box back in a cabinet. "You can stop with the boxes for today. Show me where the stuff in the classroom goes."

Ichigo nodded, setting the knife down and grabbing some of the stuff that belonged in the classroom. Surprisingly, Mr. Jeagerjaques grabbed the rest of the stuff for him and helped him carry it. Ichigo told him where everything goes and he actually helped him put it away. He was slightly impressed. After all, he had been slacking for the first hour.

"Well, that's everything," Ichigo said. "Is that all?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques nodded, "For now."

"What do you mean, for now," Ichigo questioned, narrowing his honey brown eyes.

"I'm going to make you a deal," he started, smirking at him, "I'm going to let you keep your stuff in my room before you go to lunch that way you won't ever be late, but you have to help me out after school whenever I need it."

"No way," Ichigo responded without hesitation.

Ichigo could make it just fine as long as he put his tray away in time.

He raised an eyebrow. "I should rephrase that. It's not a deal. You have to do it. Otherwise—"

Ichigo scowled at him, cutting him off, "I don't care if you tell the other teachers I had you over to dinner. You practically forced me! And I can just deny it."

"In that case," Mr. Jeagerjaques said.

Mr. Jeagerjaques pulled out his cell phone and came towards him. Ichigo backed up until he was backed up against the white board, his back pressed uncomfortably against it. He smirked and held up his cell phone.

"What's that for," Ichigo asked warily.

"This," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded.

Before he realized what was happening, Mr. Jeagerjaques' face was only inches away from his. He could feel his breath on his lips. Ichigo didn't have time to react before he felt his teacher's lips pressing gently against his. He froze, staring in surprise at Mr. Jeagerjaques, his eyes piercing into his own. Instead of the teasing look in his eyes like Ichigo was expecting, there was a nostalgic one. Something that made Ichigo think that this wasn't the first time that they had kissed, even though he knew that it was. Suddenly he felt him nip at his bottom lip. Ichigo shoved his shoulder then and he pulled away, snickering.

"W-what the heck," Ichigo cried, covering his mouth, "Pervert!"

Mr. Jeagerjaques held up his phone. On the screen was a picture of the two of them kissing. Ichigo stared at it with his mouth open.

"Blackmail," he stated. "Now if you don't help me, I can spread this picture around."

This guy was unbelievable. But he couldn't let that photo get out. Ichigo knew that his teacher would get fired and he would get in trouble. And earlier he had a very solemn expression when he had said he needed money right now. Ichigo cursed his kind nature.

"You can go home now," Mr. Jeagerjaques told him, a smirk still on his face. "I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Yes," he responded through gritted teeth.

"You want a ride," Mr. Jeagerjaques asked.

"No, thank you," Ichigo responded curtly.

He grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder, scurrying out of the room. Once he was out, he stopped in the hall, making sure no one was around before touching his lips again. Ichigo's face began to heat up. That had just been his first kiss.

* * *

**A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter six. I'm surprised I finished it so quickly. I guess motivation really does help sometimes. Well, how do you guys think their relationship is coming along? Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!

Author: Ichigo's still giving me the silent treatment T-T  
Ichigo: ...


	7. Chapter 7: Ride Home

"It's not that funny," Ichigo growled, slamming a box down on the counter of the literature equipment room.

"You're a senior, but I took your first kiss," Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, laughing so hard he was out of breath. "You had your _first_ kiss as a _senior_?"

Ichigo felt his self blushing and he looked at the ground. "I mean I've done quick pecks and stuff, just nothing like _that_."

Mr. Jeagerjaques started snickering again. "How many girlfriends have you had?"

"One," Ichigo responded.

He did have one before he figured out that he was gay, so he wasn't lying.

"Only one," his teacher asked.

"What about it," Ichigo demanded. "I can't help it that girls don't like me."

Okay, that had been a lie. Ichigo definitely knew that quite a few girls like him, but he always turned them down when they asked him out. It's not like he could help it that he didn't like girls.

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked surprised for a second and then he smirked. "You're mistaken. I think a lot of girls like you."

Ichigo mentally rolled his eyes at how dense his teacher was. Most people were able to figure out he didn't really care about all the girls that liked him. Guess that just showed how _intuitive_ his teacher was.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow at him anyways. "How do you know? This is only your fifth day here."

"When you're a young, handsome, kind teacher, people tell you stuff," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded with a shrug. "For example, your friend Ururu is going to be asked out today."

"What," Ichigo asked, "By who?"

"By some kid named Jinta," he shrugged.

"I knew he liked her," Ichigo responded. "It was only a matter of time."

"First kiss as a senior," Mr. Jeagerjaques snorted once more.

"Oh, will you drop it," Ichigo snapped, unpacking the box that he had just placed on the counter. "How'd you even find out anyways?"

"You're friend, Rukia," Mr. Jeagerjaques replied.

_That little traitor_, Ichigo mentally growled. With unnecessary force, he ripped the tape off the next box.

"I'm going to go get a drink, do you want something," Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, hopping down from the counter.

"I don't have any money," Ichigo told him.

He shrugged. "It's on me."

"Really," Ichigo asked.

"Don't be so shocked, you make me feel like a mean person," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded with a sigh.

"You are though," Ichigo pointed out.

"I know," he said.

"Bottle of water, now go," Ichigo demanded, irritated again.

He left the room and Ichigo continued to unpack in silence. There were only a few more boxes left before they were all done. He'd probably finish today. If he finished, did that mean he was done helping his teacher after school? For some reason that thought made his stomach turn a little. Why was he sad about it? Ichigo shook the thought away and continued unpacking. After the third box he frowned. How long did it take Mr. Jeagerjaques to go get drinks? Ichigo started on the forth box and was halfway through it when he walked in, carrying a coke and a bottle of water. He set them both down on the counter and ran a hand through his hair.

"Geez," he muttered, pushing his self back onto the counter.

"What took you so long," Ichigo asked.

"I ran into some girls at the vending machine," he explained, taking his coke and opening it. "It took forever to get away from them."

"Why didn't you just say you didn't want to talk," Ichigo questioned.

Mr. Jeagerjaques gave him a flat look. Ichigo realized why he couldn't do that. He was the 'nice, handsome, young, amazing' new teacher. Mr. Jeagerjaques couldn't ruin his image. Ichigo grumbled as he grabbed his water. Why was it only him that his teacher was his self with?

"Thanks, Mr. Jeagerjaques," Ichigo said as he opened the bottle of water and took a long drink.

"Call me Grimmjow outside of class," he ordered, setting down his coke. "It's weird being called Mr. Jeagerjaques when school's over."

"Okay, Grimmjow," Ichigo replied.

To his surprise, it sounded a little intimate; calling a teacher by their name that is. He faced away from his teacher to hide the blush that had colored his face and continued unpacking boxes. Ichigo actually felt a little lucky that he knew his teacher's real colors. The girls that already, or probably would, have crushes on him wouldn't know a thing, unlike Ichigo did. It was a secret between them. Ichigo smiled to his self, feeling a bit happier.

After a half hour, Ichigo finished the last box. He frowned when he turned and realized there was no more.

Ichigo turned to Mr. Jeagerjaques. "Mr. Jeag— er, Grimmjow?"

He looked at him, opening his mouth to speak, but suddenly his phone went off. Mr. Jeagerjaques placed the magazine he was reading down and held up a finger at him. He pulled out his phone and looked at it. A scowl appeared on his face and he flipped the phone open, putting it to his ear.

"What now," he demanded into the receiver, "How many times do I have to tell you 'no'? No! I said I don't care, and I really don't care. Yeah. Do what you want, but leave me out of it. Go ahead. Whatever. Bye."

He snapped the phone shut and glowered at it, before tossing it onto the counter.

"Was that the same person from a few days ago," Ichigo asked, his voice coming out quieter than he expected.

"Yeah," his teacher replied.

"Is everything okay," the teen asked, his voice back to normal.

"Sure," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded with a shrug. "What did you want?"

"Oh, um, all the boxes are unpacked and put away," Ichigo told him, gesturing to all the empty boxes behind him.

"Oh. Well, I guess you can go home for today," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, looking slightly surprised and a little disappointed. "That took less time than I expected."

Ichigo waited for him to say more, but when he didn't he frowned. Was this really it? Was he really off the hook now? No more chores from him? Ichigo didn't know why, but not only did he feel sad, but he actually felt a little lonely. He hesitated by the counter, taking his time finishing his water so he didn't have to leave. It was much more fun to be here than to be at his house all by his self, since his dad didn't come home until late due to work. If he was here doing the work for Mr. Jeagerjaques, he actually had someone to talk and interact with, even if it was just orders and being made fun of. When his water was gone he sighed and threw it into the recycling. Ichigo stooped down and picked up his school bag, lingering. He pretended to be interested in a poster on the wall. After a few minutes he heard the jingle of car keys. Ichigo turned to see Mr. Jeagerjaques holding them out to him.

"Want a ride home," his teacher asked, dangling the keys between the two of them.

Ichigo smiled to his self. "Sure."

It was sort of awkward sitting in Mr. Jeagerjaques car. He had a pretty fancy BMW. It made Ichigo wonder how he could afford it. Ichigo didn't say anything though, he knew better than that. He sat in the passenger's seat with his hands on his lap, staring straight ahead.

"Do you mind if I stop for gas," Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, quickly glancing at the teen.

"No," Ichigo responded quickly.

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked at him suspiciously. Ichigo regretted answering so quickly. His teacher probably thought that he liked him or something now. He resisted the urge to groan and hit his head against the dashboard. It was just his luck to turn things awkward.

"I, er, don't really want to go home yet," Ichigo started, refusing to look at his teacher. "No one is ever home, so it's boring, you know?"

"I see," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, his eyes on the road again. "Where are your parents?"

"My mom died about two years ago," Ichigo explained, while looking out the window. "Some car hit her and killed her."

Ichigo waited for Mr. Jeagerjaques to say the clichéd line that everyone else had told him when he mentioned his mother's death. But to Ichigo's surprise, he didn't even mention it. However his grip tightened on the steering wheel.

"What about your father," he asked, changing the subject away from Ichigo's deceased mother.

"He's alive," Ichigo told him. "And he works his butt off to support the two of us. He's got this crazy idea in his head that I need to live in a big house and wear brand name clothing, like all the kids at school. But I don't like to take money from my father. It feels weird."

"I know what you mean," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded.

Ichigo stared at him curiously. "You do?"

He nodded. "I never had a good relationship with my parents. It was always weird asking them for money. I felt like a moocher since I never really saw them."

Ichigo realized Mr. Jeagerjaques was speaking in past tense. "They're dead?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques nodded.

"Both of them died in a car crash two years ago," he started slowly. "They hit a woman in the street and my dad, who was driving, veered to the right straight into a telephone pole, which killed them both."

Ichigo's mouth went dry. He remembered his father telling him that the couple in the car that had hit his mother had died as well. Ichigo swallowed, licking his lips. Did this mean what he thought it meant? Did Mr. Jeagerjaques' parents kill his mom?

"I'm sorry," he apologized out loud, hanging his head in shame. "I'm sorry, Mr. Jeagerjaques, I just thought something bad."

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled. "I said call me Grimmjow. And I'm sure I just had the same thought as you."

"Your parent's killed my mom?" Ichigo whispered, watching him out of the corner of his eyes.

"Your mom killed my parents," he responded, rolling his eyes. "But I promise you that's not what I think. The thought just popped into my head."

"Same with me," Ichigo told him. "I couldn't help it."

"It's fine," he responded.

"It's weird though," Ichigo said, looking out the window again. "When I thought about the other two people in the car crash, I never thought about if they had a kid or anything. I just thought 'those people killed my mom'."

"That is what's normal to think," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded. "I thought the same thing. I never thought about you or your dad. It's in the human nature only to think of yourself."

"I still feel guilty."

Mr. Jeagerjaques raised an eyebrow at him. "You're an interesting person, you know?"

"Why do you think that," Ichigo asked, staring at his teacher.

He chuckled. "No reason."

"Okay," Ichigo muttered, confused.

"It's a small world, no," Mr. Jeagerjaques suddenly asked, his lips twitching.

For some reason it sounded like Mr. Jeagerjaques had a double meaning to his words. Some kind of inside joke only he got. Ichigo pushed the thought aside and nodded in agreement, glad for the change of subject.

"Yeah," he replied.

He stared at Mr. Jeagerjaques thoughtfully. So, he had gone through the same grievance as Ichigo had at the same time he had. Except while he had only lost one parent, his teacher had lost both of his. Ichigo couldn't imagine what he had gone through being doubled. The thought of losing his dad was horrible, no matter how annoying his dad was. But losing both his parents at the same time? He couldn't even begin to imagine what Mr. Jeagerjaques had gone. To his surprise, tears were starting to form in his eyes. Ichigo tried to subtly wipe them away. He hated how easily he could cry sometimes.

"What's wrong," Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, glancing at him.

Ichigo blushed; embarrassed that he had been caught. "Nothing, I was just thinking…"

Mr. Jeagerjaques smiled gently at him. "It's all in the past now, so don't worry, okay?"

Ichigo stared at him with his mouth open. Was that a smile? Not a smirk? Ichigo took in the sight, memorizing the sight doubting he would ever see this again. Mr. Jeagerjaques noticed his gawking and his smile turned into a smirk.

"I knew you would fall for my good looks."

"Who did," Ichigo muttered, rolling his eyes.

He pulled into a gas station and pulled up next to a pump. Mr. Jeagerjaques turned off the car and waited, staring at Ichigo expectantly. Ichigo returned his gaze with a confused one.

"What," Ichigo finally asked.

"Go pump my gas," his teacher commanded.

"What? No," Ichigo snapped.

A minute later Ichigo was out of the car and pumping the gas while rubbing at his arm, where a bruise was sure to appear later. That guy was abusive. But somehow he was relieved that they had managed to stay away from the awkwardness of finding out how their parents were connected. If it had been anyone else, Ichigo is sure it would have been awkward. But he was glad it was Mr. Jeagerjaques. When he was finished pumping gas, he got back in the car while Mr. Jeagerjaques put his credit card into the machine and paid.

They were silent on the way back, arguing slightly at a dumb comment every now and then. When they pulled up at Ichigo's house, Ichigo got out of the car and leaned down with the door still open.

"Well, it's been fun working for you after school," Ichigo said, sounding sarcastic, even though it had been fun for him for the most part.

"What are you talking about," Mr. Jeagerjaques replied, leaning over the seat to look at him. "This is just beginning."

With that he shut the door and with a small wave, began to drive away. Ichigo waved after him for a moment, a smile slowly spreading across his face. He was right. It was just the beginning.

* * *

**A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter seven. A little background in this chapter. I think their relationship is slowly, but nicely coming along. But that's just me. I know Ichigo's mother died sometime when he was about seven or so, but just go along with it. Well, I'm going to let you guys decided which story I should update next. I'll be updating this one pretty much all the time, so this one isn't an option but all the others are. Whoever posts the one they want to be updated first that's the story that'll be updated. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!

Author: Fine! Your not my favorite anymore, Ulquiorra is! *Pulls Ulquiorra out of nowhere and hugs him tightly.*  
Ichigo: Are you kidding me? You're replacing me with that! *Gestures rudely at Ulquiorra.*  
Author: Nope!  
Ulquiorra: Let me go, woman. *Author shakes head and clings tighter to Ulquiorra.*


	8. Chapter 8: The Fair

"That's intense," Renji commented, sitting on Ichigo's computer chair, tapping a pen against his shoe mindlessly.

"You and Mr. Jeagerjaques meeting is like fate, Ichigo," Rukia cried, staring at Ichigo with wide eyes. "You, the son of the woman his parents killed. It's like a romance! He'll feel like he has to take care of you, because he's a man while you're like a young lady. A romance will bud!"

"You're thinking into this way too much, Rukia," Ichigo responded, choosing to ignore her comment about him being like a young lady. "But it is a coincidence."

"I'll say," Rukia said, nearly shaking with excitement.

"Why exactly were you alone in his car with him again," Renji asked, frowning at Ichigo.

Ichigo sighed. "It's not what you think, Renji. He was just bringing me home, because I helped him after school as my punishment for being late."

"But it was the second day of school! Why should you be punished for being late?"

"Calm down, Renji," Rukia responded before Ichigo could. "This could be a good thing for Ichigo. He's an attractive, experienced, young man, and Ichigo's like a cute, young, lady who is still a virgin. He could help him."

"Rukia," Ichigo cried, his face growing red.

"You—," Renji growled, scowling at Rukia.

Rukia laughed. "Chill guys, I was just joking."

Ichigo sighed, but couldn't help a smile from slipping onto his lips. He shook his head and chuckled. Rukia grinned at Ichigo shamelessly.

"I still don't think it's fair he is punishing you," Renji stated stubbornly, crossing his arms.

Ichigo shrugged. It wasn't like he minded helping Mr. Jeagerjaques after school at all. Honestly, he actually enjoyed it. It was better than being alone at home and bored. Though, Mr. Jeagerjaques had told him not to tell anyone that Ichigo stayed after with him. Ichigo figured he didn't want the female students getting in trouble just so they could stay after with him. A wry smile made its way onto his face. Ichigo couldn't blame him for not wanting that.

"I just don't like how you have to help that guy every day after school," Renji stated, still looking irritated. "He's using you."

"Are you jealous?" Rukia teased.

"No," Renji snapped, "but what if Ichigo wants to hang out with friends?"

"I'm sure he'd let me hang out with friends," Ichigo told Renji.

But honestly he wasn't too sure. That man was so confusing. One second he'd be nice, the next he'd be a bully.

"Still…"

"It doesn't matter!" Rukia chirped, getting off Ichigo's bed. "The fair is today, so let's look forward to that! And who knows, maybe Mr. Jeagerjaques will be there."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "What does that matter?"

"Romance," she said with a French accent.

"Didn't we just go over this?" Renji demanded, sounding irritated.

"You never know," Rukia huffed. "Something might happen."

Ichigo laughed. "Rukia, he's a teacher. I'm a student. That wouldn't work out. In fact, it's illegal, And kind of gross."

"It's only, what, a four year difference? My parents were ten years apart," she responded defensively.

"Still, he's a teacher," Renji interjected. "And he's a student."

"That doesn't matter either," Rukia stated.

Ichigo sighed and flopped onto his back on the bed, hoping for the subject to drop. The fair started in only an hour. And he still had to get ready. Rukia spun around in his computer chair and logged onto the computer, going on Facebook. Renji started tinkering with things on Ichigo's desk and Ichigo watched Rukia with a bored expression. After about half an hour he went to the bathroom. When he got back he sat down on the bed and stared at Renji, who was coloring on his binder.

"Oh my god," Rukia gasped suddenly.

"What?" Renji and Ichigo responded simultaneously.

"Tatsuki is in a relationship with Chad!"

"No way," Ichigo said, standing up and going over to the computer.

Sure enough, on Facebook, Tatsuki's relationship status went from single to in a relationship with Chad. Ichigo stared at the screen in shock. Mr. Jeagerjaques had been right when he'd said the other day that Chad was going to ask Tatsuki out.

"I thought she liked him," Renji commented, also coming over and taking a look. "Kind of sudden though."

"Now they can go on double dates with Orihime and Uryu!" Rukia said, grinning. "We really need to find people to go out with."

"I don't like anyone," Ichigo responded with a shrug. "And I wouldn't go out with someone I didn't like."

"What about you, Renji?" Rukia asked, turning to him.

He blushed immediately. Rukia and Ichigo exchanged glances and smirked.

"Aw, Renji has a crush!" Ichigo cooed, elbowing him. "Who is it, huh?"

"I'm not telling you!" Renji responded, shaking his head, "No way."

"Aw, come on," Rukia interjected. "You have to tell us now!"

"No I don't," Renji responded, his mouth in a straight line. "And you won't ever know."

"Why don't you ask her out?" Ichigo asked him.

Renji snorted. "She wouldn't go out with me."

"What are you talking about? Everyone wants to go out with you," Ichigo responded and Rukia nodded in agreement.

"Not this person. She's different."

"Who is she?" Rukia and Ichigo demanded together.

"I won't tell you guys."

"Come on! Please," Ichigo begged, putting on his best puppy dog eyes.

Renji shook his head. "No. Now I'm leaving to get ready for the fair. You should, too, Rukia."

Rukia nodded, logging out of Facebook. "I probably should."

Ichigo frowned. His puppy eyes never worked. He really needed to work on that.

Renji and Rukia left and Ichigo went to take a shower. When he was done, he quickly set to work towel drying his hair as he walked back into his room. His vibrant orange hair quickly dried and he went to work pulling on some boxers when his phone started ringing. Ichigo quickly pulled his underwear on the rest of the way before walking over to his phone and answering it.

"Hello?"

"Ichigo, my dearest son, it's your father," his dad cried exuberantly into the phone.

"Hey, dad," Ichigo sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Work's going to be really late tonight. I'm just going to stay at a friend's so I don't have to drive all the way back home," his dad said, no longer sounding childish, and Ichigo heard something fall in the background. "Shoot," he muttered. "Is that okay with you? What are your plans for tonight?"

"That's fine," Ichigo responded. "I'm going to the fair with Renji and Rukia in a little bit."

"Why don't you invite Rukia to sleep over then? I feel bad leaving you alone," his father said, feeling more comfortable having Rukia stay over than Renji since he already knew his son's preferences.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Dad, I'm a senior. Pretty soon I'll be living by myself anyways."

"Not too soon," he responded with a childish whine.

"Okay, let me rephrase that. In a little while I could be living by myself, but probably won't be."

He laughed. "That sounds better. My breaks almost over now though so I have to go."

"Okay dad, I love you."

"Love you, too," he responded. "Bye."

"See ya."

Ichigo clicked the end button and set the phone down. He glanced down at his alarm clock to see that it was seven o'clock. That meant he'd have to leave in about five minutes to make it to the fairgrounds half past the time they had all decided to meet up at. Ichigo went to his closest and threw on a pair of black jeans, a colorful graphic t-shirt, and a hoodie. Slipping on his shoes and grabbing his wallet and iPod, he went out the door, locking it behind his self.

Ichigo stuck the ear buds into his ears and set his iPod on shuffle. Music blasted from them as he started down the street in the direction of the fairgrounds. It was starting to get dark, which was the perfect time for going to a fair. The millions of lights that came off every ride was a stunning sight. As he grew closer, more people were walking on the sidewalks. Ichigo maneuvered around an old couple that was walking slowly and finally made it to the gate where he was meeting Rukia, Renji, and the others.

In a little while Tatsuki and Chad showed up followed by Orihime and Uryu, then Rukia, and finally Renji. They bought their tickets and entered the area the fair was being held. There were tons of people. Little kids were running around in groups and couples were holding hands. Vendors called out to them as they walked by them, offering three darts for five dollars and one dart for two.

"I'm hungry," Ichigo complained after they had walked a loop around the fair once to see what there was. "I'm going to eat."

"I'll come with you," Renji offered.

"Rukia, are you coming?" Ichigo asked, turning towards her.

She shook her head. "I'm going with Orihime and Uryu on the Ferris wheel."

"Have fun," Renji said, laughing.

"I will!" Rukia responded with a wave. "See you guys later."

"Bye," Ichigo responded, waving back.

Renji and Ichigo headed back towards the food stands, dodging around throngs of people congesting the area. They passed a large line at the fired dough stand and a considerably smaller one at the fried Oreos.

"What are you going to get?" Renji asked, narrowly avoiding a giggling couple.

"Baked potato," Ichigo responded immediately. "They're basically one of the only reasons I go to fairs."

Renji laughed. "Okay, with everything on it?"

"Yeah," Ichigo responded. "But I'll buy my own."

"Don't worry about it, I got it," Renji said, heading over to the vendor. "Think of it as repayment for the lunch money I've borrowed from you."

"You're going to have to buy me like fifty potatoes then," Ichigo responded with a laugh.

"Shut up and go sit down," Renji ordered, shaking his head and grinning.

Throwing another smile at Renji, Ichigo turned and followed his friend's orders. A few minutes later Renji appeared, sitting down across from Ichigo with two baked potatoes. He placed one in front of Ichigo and handed him a fork.

"Thanks," Ichigo said, stabbing his fork into it immediately and taking a bite. Ichigo exhaled quickly, the potato burning his mouth. "Hot!"

Renji laughed at his friend's misfortune. "Duh."

Ignoring him, Ichigo continued to eat his potato, this time being more wary. After a few moments he glanced back up at Renji and noticed him staring at something. Ichigo looked behind his self and saw his friend, Lisa, standing a few feet away with her boyfriend, Kensei. Ichigo frowned slightly. Then it hit him.

"Oh!"

Renji blinked and shifted his gaze to Ichigo. "What?"

"You like Lisa?" Ichigo questioned, a smirk appearing on his face. It definitely made sense. Renji had said that the person he liked couldn't like him back, and Lisa had a boyfriend.

"What? No," Renji responded sounding confused. "Why do you think that?"

"Weren't you just staring at her?"

Renji shook his head. "I was just looking."

Ichigo frowned. "Well tell me whom you like," he ordered, staring at Renji intently. "Rukia's not around, so it's okay, right?"

Renji sighed, shaking his head again. "I'm not telling you."

"Why not," Ichigo asked. "Aren't we best friends?"

"It's not something I can tell you," Renji responded, frowning. "And I already told you it doesn't matter, because she won't like me back or date me."

"Everyone likes you," Ichigo said, rolling his eyes. "And I already told you anyone would date you."

"Would you date me?" Renji asked, giving a sarcastic look.

Ichigo laughed through his nose and shook his head. "No way."

"See?"

"But that's because we are best friends, Renji," Ichigo told him, sighing. "That and you're like a brother to me, plus I'm not a girl contrary to your guys' beliefs. So, I'm sure it's different with other girls."

"Nope, I can guarantee you she would never date me."

Ichigo scowled at him. Why was he being so pessimistic? "Well fine. If you want to be that way, I hope she never dates you."

"Harsh," Renji responded with a grin.

"Mhm."

Renji suddenly stood up, looking around. "I'm going to go get a drink. You want anything?"

"Coke," Ichigo responded, putting his elbow on the table and resting his head on his hand.

Renji nodded and started walking back to the food area. Ichigo watched his back until it disappeared from his vision, leaving him to stare blankly at the strangers as they walked by. There were a lot of couples out. One couple stopped right in front of Ichigo and started making out, intensely making out. Ichigo looked away slightly disgusted and saw a familiar face.

Mr. Jeagerjaques was walking with two suspicious looking men. One of the men had short, cropped blond hair and the other had longer brunette hair. All three of the men didn't look happy. The two on either side of him seemed to be holding onto him, grasping his arms tightly as to not let him escape. Ichigo watched curiously and bit his lip. What were they doing? And where were they going? After a minute, Ichigo stood up and decided to follow them. Ichigo looked around for Renji, but couldn't find him. He was still off getting them drinks. Mr. Jeagerjaques was now beginning to leave my field of vision, so Ichigo muttered an apology to Renji and hurried after his literature teacher. Ichigo dodged people filing around him, until he was close enough to the trio so he could keep an eye on them without being noticed. It seemed like they were headed towards the woods.

Ichigo followed as they left the tangled madness of the crowded path that led to the rides. They slipped onto a vacant path, which lead to the back of the rides and towards the forest. Now there were no people to hide behind, so Ichigo waited for a few moments before continuing to follow them. For some reason, Ichigo was getting a forbidding feeling, but he continued after them anyways.

* * *

**A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter eight. The action and plot are soon going to begin to unfold. What do you guys think is going to happen in the next chapter? Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!

Grimmjow: Do you think we should do something? *Grimmjow and Ichigo watch as Author squeezes an annoyed Cuatro Espada to death*  
Ichigo: No way! I'm enjoying my freedom right now.  
Ulquiorra: I'll kill you all when I get away from this _woman._  
Ichigo and Grimmjow: If! If you can get away! *Ulquiorra sends a death glare in Ichigo's and Grimmjow's direction.*


	9. Chapter 9: Confrontation in the Woods

Ichigo followed the three men for quite a while as they marched behind all the attractions. It was hard to keep up at times because of the cords on the ground that was masked by the darkness, causing Ichigo to stumble over them. When the three men in front of him stopped, Ichigo stopped as well, hiding behind the edge of the Ferris wheel's support frame.

Voices carried back to the teen and he held his breath tightly, trying to distinguish what they were saying. Ichigo strained his ears, listening as hard as he could, but he still couldn't make out a word. They started moving again, but this time into the woods.

For a second Ichigo debated whether or not he should go after them, but when he started to lose sight of them, Ichigo threw all caution to the wind and hurried to catch up to them. Ichigo matched his steps in time with theirs, so he could cover the sounds of crunching leaves he made with each footfall. There was this weird feeling in the pit of his stomach, just like the kind of nervous feeling he got before going on a terrifying ride.

They continued traversing through the forest for at least ten minutes. Ichigo began to grow uneasy and kept looking around his self cautiously. What if they ended up getting lost? Or if some animal came out of nowhere and attacked him, Ichigo swallowed nervously. He wanted to close the distance between his self and the trio, but knew that he couldn't afford to do that. If he was caught…Ichigo didn't want to think about what would happen. He had no idea who these people were.

The man with blonde hair looked over his shoulder and Ichigo froze, staring with wide eyes at him and holding his breath. The man made no sign of alarm, so Ichigo figured he hadn't noticed him. He turned back to the front and shoved Mr. Jeagerjaques in front of him roughly. Then the same man put his head near the brunette's head and Ichigo hazarded a guess that he was saying something that he didn't want Mr. Jeagerjaques to hear.

The brunette nodded to the blonde and suddenly started going to the left, leaving Mr. Jeagerjaques alone with the blonde. The one leaving crashed through the forest, seemingly uncaring about the amount of noise he was making. Ichigo's gaze stayed on him until he was out of sight. When the brunette was, he returned his attention back to Mr. Jeagerjaques and the other guy, realizing they were almost out of sight. Ichigo hurried after them, going through the woods as fast as he could without tripping.

Mr. Jeagerjaques and the other man entered a large clearing and Ichigo stopped at the edge of it, hiding behind a conveniently placed tree. Its trunk was big enough to cover him and it had y-shaped branches, so if he stood on the tips of his toes he could just barely see through the small hole it made. Ichigo's eyes widened when he realized there were now two other men in the clearing along with Mr. Jeagerjaques and the first. The other two men stood in rigid positions as if ready to attack. One of the men was completely bald and the other had long, shaggy red hair.

The blonde one holding onto Mr. Jeagerjaques led him over to the other two, both of which were shooting daggers at Mr. Jeagerjaques. Mr. Jeagerjaques still looked calm, his shoulders relaxed and a bored expression on his face. An idea suddenly hit Ichigo. Were these guys his old gang members? Ichigo took in a sharp inhale of breath. He thought his teacher was joking when he said he was an ex-gangster! His teacher had been telling the truth? He'd seriously been in a gang?

"You can't leave just like that," the bald guy suddenly shouted, making Ichigo jump at the loudness of the man's voice.

Ichigo held his breath and shut his eyes, straining to hear everything that they were saying. Mr. Jeagerjaques' voice was a lot quieter and harder to make out. Whatever he was saying was incoherent to Ichigo.

"The boss will be here soon. Do you really want to deal with him?" The red head demanded, sounding amused.

Ichigo opened his eyes and stared in disbelief at him. The boss, did that mean the gang leader? Were they going to attack Mr. Jeagerjaques in the woods? Is that why they brought him all the way out here?

Mr. Jeagerjaques laughed loudly, the sound echoing slightly. "He couldn't beat me up in his dreams."

Ichigo's hands tightened on the tree bark. What was Mr. Jeagerjaques doing? Did he want to be killed? Ichigo stared at the four men, unable to pull his gaze away. How could Mr. Jeagerjaques stay so calm when the other three men were putting up such threatening fronts?

"I wouldn't be so cocky," the other gangster warned, cracking his knuckles threateningly. "We dragged you out here for a reason, you know."

"If it was to assault me, I know," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded calmly. "That's why I came, because I was sure I could handle Twinkies like you."

Ichigo snorted. Had he really just used the word Twinkies as an insult? The smile disappeared from Ichigo's mouth when one of the gangsters swung towards Mr. Jeagerjaques without warning. Mr. Jeagerjaques took a step back, avoiding it with ease. A breath of relief left Ichigo's lips.

The blonde scowled. "What did I say about being cocky?"

"I don't remember," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded mockingly, a fake frown on his face. "I'm sorry."

Suddenly Ichigo felt a hand cover his mouth. His eyes almost bulged out of their sockets and he took a sharp inhale of breath through his nose, his heart rate increasing significantly. Ichigo struggled in the grasp of whoever had him as an arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer to his captor. By the feeling of the chest pressed against his back it was either a very flat and bulky female or a male. Ichigo struggled harder, terror filling his veins.

"What do we have here," a husky voice whispered in Ichigo's ear, "A spectator?"

Ichigo froze up, his breath shaky. Was this one of the gangsters as well? He looked over his shoulder slightly, recognizing the brunette man from before. The one, who had been with Mr. Jeagerjaques at first, then went off his own way. Ichigo tried to say something, but the man's strong hand muffled his words. The man yanked him away from the tree. Ichigo's fingernails scarped against the bark, getting it stuck between the nail and skin as he tried to keep his grasp on the tree. The teen winced in pain.

"It would be really be bad if I let you loose and you told someone about what was going on here," the thug commented, resting his chin on Ichigo's shoulder. "We wouldn't want that."

Ichigo tried to bite the man's hand, but only managed to lick it. He made a face as the man chuckled. "How did you know I enjoyed that kind of thing?"

Ichigo almost gagged. The man's hand moved to Ichigo's stomach and Ichigo's muscles tightened as he rubbed it gently.

"You have such a flat stomach. And you're pretty good looking, too," the thug commented in a thoughtful voice. "I bet we could have some fun with you."

That's when Ichigo snapped. Ichigo brought his head back as hard as he could, smashing it into the man's behind him. The man groaned in pain and Ichigo quickly shoved his legs against the ground, throwing them both off balance. The thug toppled over backwards and Ichigo fell with him. To save his self from hitting the ground full force, the man let go of Ichigo, and Ichigo quickly rolled to the side and was on his feet in a matter of seconds. Thank god for adrenaline.

The thug flung out his arms, in aim for Ichigo's feet, but Ichigo quickly dodged, stepping out from behind the tree. Ichigo made to run through the woods and back to the fair, but his eyes roamed to the clearing and he gasped. The bald man was creeping up behind Mr. Jeagerjaques, a bat raised high in his hand. The other two men were holding onto Mr. Jeagerjaques' arms, keeping him faced away from the man with the baseball bat.

"Mr. Jeagerjaques!" Ichigo screamed, throwing all caution to the wind.

All four men in the clearing turned to Ichigo. Ichigo's eyes met Mr. Jeagerjaques'. He stared at Ichigo, half in horror and half in shock. The bald man moved in again.

"Behind yo— ah!"

Something hard slammed into Ichigo's side, cutting him off, and knocking him to the ground. Ichigo fell hard and the breath was knocked out of him. The teen's head landed on its side, facing towards the clearing. He watched as Mr. Jeagerjaques avoided the bat by an inch. Ichigo let out a sigh of relief, but it turned into a grunt as he suddenly felt pressure on his head.

"Next time you try that, I'll break your neck," the brunette whispered, pressing Ichigo's head into the ground.

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked at Ichigo for a split second, his face in a tight line. The thug with the bat raised it again while Mr. Jeagerjaques was still focused on Ichigo.

"Mr. Jeagerjaques!" Ichigo screamed again, half in panic and half in annoyance at how his teacher kept looking away from the enemy. He couldn't be that stupid.

A fist collided with the side of Ichigo's head and a groan escaped his lips. Ichigo's vision went black for a moment, but before he could panic it returned. Mr. Jeagerjaques ripped his arms out of the two gangster's grasps, thrusting his elbow into the bald man with baseball bat before his face. The thug dropped the bat and raised his hands to his face, swearing loudly. Mr. Jeagerjaques turned and swung his right fist at his head, striking him down.

Ichigo's head throbbed as he watched Mr. Jeagerjaques turn to the two other gangsters, who were in fighting stances. Mr. Jeagerjaques swung towards the one on the right, who avoided it with a block and the one on the left swung at Mr. Jeagerjaques. Mr. Jeagerjaques dodged spinning, and sending his fist into the right one's face. Ichigo watched slightly impressed, slightly awed, and slightly afraid as Mr. Jeagerjaques proceeded to pummel the two gangsters.

The one pinning Ichigo to the ground clicked his tongue and loosened his grip on the teen, starting to push himself to his feet. Ichigo took the moment to his advantage. With his head still slightly spinning, Ichigo rolled out from under the thug and swung his leg out hitting him where the sun didn't shine. The man groaned and fell back to the ground. Ichigo kicked him in the side hard.

"That's for punching me," Ichigo told the thug, and turned to Mr. Jeagerjaques.

Only one gangster was still standing. The teen watched as the gangster picked up the bat the unconscious one had dropped. Ichigo stared incredulously. The man was really going to bring a weapon into the fight again when Mr. Jeagerjaques didn't have one?

"A bat won't help you," Mr. Jeagerjaques stated, rolling his eyes. "Hell, even if you had a gun, it still wouldn't help you."

The gangster swung at Mr. Jeagerjaques. Ichigo winced as he heard it collide with Mr. Jeagerjaques arm. When Ichigo opened his eyes, Ichigo expected to see Mr. Jeagerjaques holding his arm in pain, but to his surprise his teacher was smirking at the gangster.

"What did I tell you?"

Suddenly the bat was yanked from the gangster's grasp and before Ichigo knew it the man was on the ground. Mr. Jeagerjaques cracked his knuckles and brushed off his hands before stretching. He turned towards Ichigo and his smug face turned to shock.

Ichigo looked at him curiously. Did he seriously forget that Ichigo was here? He started sprinting towards Ichigo, his hands in fists again. Ichigo stared blankly at him. Why was he charging at him? He got closer and brought up a fist. Ichigo yelped, putting up his hands in defense.

To his surprise, his teacher's swinging fist missed. Or that's what Ichigo thought at first. Ichigo heard it smashing against something and looked over his shoulder to see the gangster he had kicked earlier falling to the ground behind him. He turned back to Mr. Jeagerjaques, his face white. Mr. Jeagerjaques glared at Ichigo, putting his hand down on Ichigo's shoulder and squeezing it painfully.

"Ow," Ichigo cried, pulling at his arm. "That hurts!"

"What are you doing here?" Mr. Jeagerjaques demanded, his voice seething with anger.

"I saw you with those two suspicious men, so I followed you," Ichigo explained quickly, still pulling at his teacher's arm, "Mr. Jeagerjaques that really hurts!"

He let go of Ichigo's shoulder, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't believe you."

"What did I do?" Ichigo demanded angrily. "If I wasn't here, you could have been killed!"

"I'm fine on my own!" Mr. Jeagerjaques snapped. "But look at you." He raised a hand to Ichigo's face and touched it gently.

Ichigo gave him a confused look and when his teacher pulled his hand away there was blood on it. Surprised, Ichigo raised his own hand to his cheek and sure enough something warm and sticky was on it. Nausea washed over him and Ichigo staggered forward, suddenly dizzy. Mr. Jeagerjaques quickly steadied him, putting his hands on Ichigo's shoulders again, this time more gently.

"Are you okay?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked in a worried voice. "Did that bastard do anything else to you?"

Ichigo shook his head. "No, I'm just not good with blood."

"Why did you follow us?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, still supporting Ichigo. "Ichigo, you don't follow quote, unquote, suspicious looking men."

"I thought something bad was going to happen to you," Ichigo responded in a small voice, dropping his gaze.

"That doesn't give you reason to follow three man into the woods! Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't come out from hiding when you did!"

"You would have been beaten by a baseball bat!"

"You could have been kidnapped!" Mr. Jeagerjaques cried, irritation dripping from his tone, "And worse, if you understand what I mean."

Ichigo knew what his teacher meant immediately and bit his lip. Yeah, he knew it wasn't a smart idea. But Ichigo didn't want to let him go alone. He could have been killed!

"I didn't know you were serious about being an ex-gangster," Ichigo admitted, pushing Mr. Jeagerjaques' arms off of him. "I thought you were joking, so I would have never guessed something like this would happen."

"Something like this happens all the time, Ichigo," he responded, shaking his head. "It's because I left so suddenly."

"Left?"

"The gang," he told Ichigo.

Ichigo frowned slightly. "Why did you leave?"

"I'll explain it later," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, looking around warily. "First let's get out of here before any of these guys wake up."

Ichigo nodded in agreement and Mr. Jeagerjaques started leading him out of the clearing and back into the woods. The teen stepped over the body of the gangster who had tried to sneak attack him and made sure to tread on the man's face. Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled slightly.

"You're so immature."

Ichigo ignored his comment and followed his teacher as they made their way out of the woods. The teen looked behind his self continuously, afraid someone would pop out. Mr. Jeagerjaques noticed after a few minutes.

"Don't worry," he started, suddenly looking solemn. "If someone comes…I'll protect you."

He turned back around, his back suddenly tensed. Ichigo stared after him curiously for a few minutes, a frown pulling at his lips. Ichigo's heart thudded in his chest and it wasn't due to lack of oxygen. Why did his teacher's words make his heart beat so fast?

* * *

**A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter nine. I think I did pretty good with the action in this chapter. So is this what you guys expected would happen in this chapter? Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!

Ulquiorra: I hate women.  
Ichigo: So, does that mean you're gay?  
Ulquiorra:...  
Grimmjow: I'd take that as a yes.  
Ichigo: Works for me.


	10. Chapter 10: Embarrassing Outbursts

When Ichigo finally saw the lights of the fair he raised his eyebrows, slightly impressed. He wouldn't have ever been able to find his own way out of the forest. Mr. Jeagerjaques seemingly knew these woods like the back of his hand. He had even told Ichigo where there were dips in the ground so Ichigo wouldn't trip. While the lights distracted Ichigo, his foot got tangled in a root and he plummeted to the ground face first. Ichigo's already pounding head smashed against the hard ground, causing his vision to go black for a few seconds. Surprised, Ichigo tried blinking a few times, trying to regain his vision.

"Are you okay?" A slightly amused voice asked from above Ichigo.

"I can't see!" Ichigo cried, scrambling to push himself to his feet.

A strong pair of hands suddenly wrapped around Ichigo's waist and he was pulled to his feet before he could protest. Shakily, Ichigo reached out to find something to support his self. One of the hands on his waist disappeared and seconds later something warm enveloped his outstretched hand.

"Stand still," Mr. Jeagerjaques ordered in a soothing voice. "Your vision will come back in a second."

Ichigo followed his teacher's command, trying to slow his racing heartbeat. With his eyes shut, Ichigo concentrated on his breathing for a few minutes, and when he opened his eyes again, he could see. Dizziness swept over him and Ichigo staggered a little. The hand on his waist quickly became an arm wrapped around it. Ichigo's cheeks blazed from the gesture.

"Let me go," Ichigo ordered, trying to escape from his teacher's hold.

"No," Mr. Jeagerjaques said. "You'll end up killing yourself."

"Let go!" Ichigo reiterated.

Ichigo was very aware, too aware of the arm wrapped around his waist. His body was growing hotter by the second. Ichigo avoided looking at Mr. Jeagerjaques face as he continued to struggle to break out of his teacher's grasp. The man was his teacher. He shouldn't be blushing because his teacher had an arm around his waist. Albeit he was a young and very handsome teacher, he was still a teacher. It was wrong. And yet here his touch was embarrassing the teen. Ichigo liked his touch.

"If you don't stop struggling, I'll have no choice but to carry you," Mr. Jeagerjaques warned, holding onto Ichigo tighter.

Ichigo ground his teeth together and tried again to yank his self free once more. He couldn't flat out tell his teacher what he was doing to him. That would be incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. But Ichigo wasn't used to guys touching him, so maybe that was it. It wasn't just because Mr. Jeagerjaques was the one with his arm wrapped around him. Ichigo tried once more to pull his self away, but only ended up tripping over his own feet.

Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed and put his other hand on Ichigo's waist again. "You asked for it."

Suddenly Ichigo was hoisted up in air and over Mr. Jeagerjaques shoulder. Ichigo opened his mouth in shock, but nothing came out. Mr. Jeagerjaques adjusted Ichigo slightly and placed a hand just above the teen's butt. Blood rushed to Ichigo's face and he tried to get away again.

"Don't move or you'll fall, and I'm not sure how much more damage you can take to your head without dying."

Ichigo stopped moving. He didn't really want to take that chance. Mr. Jeagerjaques started walking again and Ichigo bounced with each stride he made. His teacher didn't even seem affected by taking on an extra couple hundred pounds.

"Aren't I heavy?" Ichigo asked in a quiet, embarrassed voice.

Mr. Jeagerjaques snorted. "Yes, you are."

Ichigo kicked his feet, hoping to land a strike on his teacher's face. Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled and readjusted Ichigo on his shoulder. "I'm joking."

"It wasn't funny," Ichigo responded, bringing a hand down to slap him.

Right before his hit landed, Ichigo stopped his hand, realizing he was just about to smack his teacher's butt. A small breath of relief left Ichigo's lips. How awkward would that have been? Stretching his arm lower, Ichigo began to pound his fist on the lowest of his teacher's leg that he could reach. It didn't even affect him. He just chuckled again. Scowling, Ichigo hit him harder and repeatedly, which only made him laugh more.

"Two can play at that game," he let Ichigo know, amusement in his tone.

Ichigo paused for a second, confused, until he felt a slap to his butt. For a second Ichigo was speechless, his face growing warm. Ichigo opened his mouth in outrage but couldn't say anything coherent.

"Why did you smack my butt?" Ichigo finally demanded, still blushing furiously.

"Easiest place to reach."

Ichigo struggled against him now, trying his best to be let go. He didn't care if he fell on his face at the point as long as he got away from this perverted teacher. Mr. Jeagerjaques started chuckling, again, and placed his free hand on Ichigo's waist, hoisting Ichigo off his shoulder and onto the ground.

Ichigo took a step away from him and glared at him. "You didn't have to slap my butt!"

Mr. Jeagerjaques rolled his eyes. "What? Should I have waited and smacked your head?"

"No! You shouldn't hit me!"

"You were hitting me," he responded in mockingly whiny voice.

"But I didn't hit your butt!"

"You were thinking it."

Ichigo's face grew even hotter, if that was possible. Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked.

Ichigo shook his head vehemently at his teacher. "I wasn't!"

He chuckled. "Yeah, okay. I can tell when you're lying. You're really bad at it."

Ichigo scowled at him. How could his teacher read him so easily? Ichigo stared at the ground in embarrassment. His eyes were starting to burn and Ichigo blinked rapidly to stop his eyes from watering. Why did he always embarrass him? It seriously wasn't fair.

Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed. "You really don't have much experience with guys, do you?"

Ichigo glared at him. "So, what? I'm sorry I can't help it if guys don't like me! I'm sorry I'm not used to guys touching me! I'm sorry I'm not popular and pretty like a girl, Mr. Jeagerjaques! If you want to go talk to popular and pretty girls, actually let them into your classroom at school instead of hiding from them! I bet they would do all kinds of things with you!"

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked at Ichigo in surprise. Ichigo breathed heavily from his sudden outburst. When his anger died down, newfound embarrassment made his face burn once more. Mr. Jeagerjaques just continued to stare at him, almost in awe. Ichigo looked away when he felt tears welling up again when he realized what he had pretty much flat out said to his teacher. He had practically spelled out that he was gay to him. Sometimes Ichigo wished his tear ducts weren't triggered by his embarrassment and anger. Ichigo tried to discreetly wipe away the few stray tears that were escaping. It didn't really work. Dear god, he felt like he could die of embarrassment.

What was his problem? There was no reason for him to get all worked up; aside from the fact that his teacher more than likely knew he was gay. And Ichigo knew he had taken his outburst too far. Ichigo didn't know why he even mentioned that crap about the girls at school. Mr. Jeagerjaques probably thought he was immature now. Ichigo grit his teeth together in frustration. If he was a girl, he would think that maybe he was PMSing.

A gentle hand was at his cheek and it turned his head to the left slightly. Mr. Jeagerjaques used his other hand to wipe away a stray tear. Ichigo attempted to look away, but Mr. Jeagerjaques held his head fast.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, sounding very sincere.

Ichigo's mind went blank for a second. Mr. Jeagerjaques was apologizing to him? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Ichigo was the one who had blown up at him. He opened his mouth to say something, but Mr. Jeagerjaques shook his head.

"I'm not done," he told him, so Ichigo shut his mouth. "I really didn't mean anything offensive by what I said. I keep forgetting you're Ichigo Kurosaki, my student, which is my fault. But I can't help but to tease you when you have such cute reactions."

Ichigo would've blushed if his face wasn't already as red as a tomato. What did he meant by how he kept forgetting Ichigo was his student? Did that mean…? Ichigo shook his head quickly. He definitely didn't mean what Ichigo was thinking. Ichigo was getting way to ahead of his self.

Mr. Jeagerjaques let out a quiet chuckle and Ichigo raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

His teacher shook his head, smirking. "Where in the world did you get the idea that I wanted to do 'all kinds of stuff' with pretty and popular girls?"

Ichigo swallowed nervously and pursed his lips, his face still in Mr. Jeagerjaques firm grasp. "Well…I just figured since you're young and single you might, you know, want to have…have some fun?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques snorted and started laughing so hard he let go of Ichigo's face and doubled over. Ichigo stood awkwardly, watching as his teacher began to gasp for breath from laughing so hard.

"You know that's illegal, right?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked when he was finally finished.

"Yeah," Ichigo responded. "But that hasn't stopped other people…and since you're a gangster and all, I thought it doesn't matter."

"Ex-gangster," he reminded Ichigo with a frown. "And I wouldn't have an affair with a student. I'm a teacher, Ichigo. That would be extremely wrong and I would lose my job if I were ever caught. I might even—," he suddenly cut his self off, a surprised expression on his face. "I might even go to jail…"

For some reason, Ichigo's chest ached. Ichigo shrugged it off though. It wasn't like Ichigo was planning to be in a relationship with this man. He was a perverted, spiteful, annoying teacher. Who happened to also be an ex-gangster. The consequences of a relationship like that were too severe. It wasn't worth it.

"But I have to say," he mused, putting on a smug smile once again. "I don't usually go for the pretty and popular girls."

"What kind of girls do you go for?" Ichigo blurted out without thinking, immediately ducking his head, his cheeks flaming again.

Mr. Jeagerjaques opened his mouth to respond, but shut it quickly. For a split second Ichigo thought there was an expression of pain on his face, but before Ichigo could be sure it was gone.

He glanced at Ichigo and smirked. "Well, I go for the kind that doesn't have a lot of experience. They are the cutest, you know. Now, shall we go?"

He walked by Ichigo, his shoulder just barely brushing Ichigo's. Ichigo stared after him for a moment, his last words echoing in his mind. What did he mean by that? Was he insinuating something? Ichigo shook his head violently. It meant nothing. He was just teasing him like usual.

Ichigo hurried to catch up with him, his dizziness completely gone now. The pair was behind the rides now. Ichigo made sure to step over all the cables, being extra cautious not to trip. When Ichigo caught up to his teacher, he looked at Ichigo from the corner of his eye, an amused smile playing on his lips.

"You know you look like hell, right?"

Ichigo gave him a wry smile. "Thanks."

He chuckled. "Don't worry. I have a comb in my bag."

Ichigo raised his eyebrows slightly. Even he didn't carry around a comb in his bag, and he was gay. "You have a comb?"

"I need to look good in front of the ladies, right?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes and attempted to push past him but his teacher stopped him, grabbing the back of his hoodie. After releasing Ichigo, he dug into his bag for a few seconds and pulled out the comb. With a finger he gestured for Ichigo to move closer to him. Ichigo did so and held out his hand for the comb.

Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked, pulling the comb out of his reach. "I'm doing your hair for you."

"No, you're not," Ichigo responded quickly, "No way."

He attempted to back away but Mr. Jeagerjaques hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him closer again. Ichigo sighed. It wasn't even worth bothering to even try and escape his grasp.

"Keep your head still," he ordered.

"Yes, sir."

His hand ran through Ichigo's hair, getting out the largest tangles. Ichigo stood restlessly, letting him have his way. He had to admit though that his teacher could get out snarls without it hurting him the slightest bit. Mr. Jeagerjaques ran the comb through Ichigo's hair now, getting out the rest of the snarls. When he was finished, Ichigo ran a hand over his head. Not a single knot.

"You wouldn't have been able to get out the ones in the back of your hair if you did it," he told Ichigo, putting the comb away.

"That's true."

"Now," Mr. Jeagerjaques said with a serious face. "Do you want me to drive you home now? I think you've had enough fun for a night."

Ichigo faked a laugh. "Yeah, fun."

Mr. Jeagerjaques grinned. "Well at least I had fun. And I'm ready to go home too, so it's no trouble."

Ichigo frowned slightly. He did want to go home. But he really wanted to go on the Ferris wheel. Ichigo looked at Mr. Jeagerjaques pleadingly.

"You want something?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I want to go on the Ferris wheel before we leave," Ichigo told him, adverting his gaze to the ground. "Do you…um, want to come with me?"

Ichigo didn't have to look up to know his teacher was smirking.

"Of course, I can take the time on it to explain a few things to you as well, since you'll now be caught up in some of my problems."

Ichigo looked up at him again, giving him a questioning look. What problems did he have?

When he noticed Ichigo's look, he gave a half shrug. "I said I'd explain on the Ferris wheel."

"Okay."

* * *

**A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter ten. I, for one, found this chapter quite amusing. But hey that's just me. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!

Ichigo and Grimmjow: Sucker! *Both begin laughing their asses off at the smaller man's pain.*  
Ulquiorra: I'll destroy all of you. You're all nothing but garbage. *Glares from inside a cage at the three people surrounding it.*  
Author: Bad, Ulqui-kun! *Keeps scolding the enraged Espada, as the other two fall to the ground laughing their asses off. A couple seconds later Tsukishima walks into the room, because of all the noise.*  
Tsukishima: What's going on in here? *Watches in confusion and mild amusement as the Author continues to scold Ulquiorra for being mean to the other 'children' and two vibrant hair men roll across the floor laughing.* Did I miss something?


	11. Chapter 11: A Bad Sign

Ichigo climbed into the slightly swaying compartment on the Ferris wheel carefully, holding tightly onto the railings. When his whole body was over the gap between the compartment and dock, he quickly sat down so that he wouldn't fall. Mr. Jeagerjaques followed, casually stepping in without a worry. He sat across from Ichigo and the worker closed the gate, sending Ichigo a knowing smirk. Ichigo blushed, looking away from the worker. His gaze fell on the crowd waiting in line.

"What happens if someone sees us?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled. "Depending on whom it is, either we'd have to think of a pretty convincing excuse as to why we are riding the Ferris wheel together or it wouldn't matter. There's nothing wrong with a teacher and a student going on a ride together, unless you think of it the wrong way."

Ichigo nodded and the compartment suddenly lurched forward. They moved for about thirty seconds and it stopped again, to unload people and to allow different people on the ride. Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed and looked at all the people below us.

"Do you like Ferris wheels?" Ichigo inquired, frowning slightly.

Ichigo hadn't even asked if he was fond of them or not. His teacher might have a fear of them for all he knew. Mr. Jeagerjaques shrugged.

"I don't hate them," he responded insouciantly.

"Oh."

The compartment began to move again, going up higher into the air. Ichigo lick his lips nervously. In his excitement to go on the Ferris wheel, he had forgotten that he was afraid of heights. How ironic was that? Ichigo placed his hands securely on the seat, hoping the compartment would stop swaying. When the pair was about halfway from the top, the Ferris wheel started moving full speed. Ichigo stared wide eyed at the ground below them. Since when did Ferris wheels go so fast? Ichigo reached out and gripped the pole in the middle.

"Are you scared?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked in a teasing voice.

"No," Ichigo lied, swallowing hard as the Ferris wheel continued to go higher.

"You wouldn't mind if I rock the compartment then, would you?"

Before Ichigo could protest, Mr. Jeagerjaques stood up and started shaking the compartment. Ichigo wrapped his arms around the pole in a death grip and held on tightly as his teacher violently shook the only thing keeping them from falling and dying.

"Scared now," he asked.

"Stop," Ichigo yelled with his heart thundering in his chest. "Please, stop!"

Mr. Jeagerjaques laughed. "Say you're scared."

Ichigo glared at him and forced his self off the seat. Clinging onto the pole, Ichigo kicked his teacher as hard as he could. Mr. Jeagerjaques lost his balance and fell towards Ichigo. Ichigo yelped as his teacher's weight pushing on him made it impossible to hold onto the pole and they both fell back onto Ichigo's seat, making the compartment rock even more violently than it already was.

The teen frantically grabbed onto Mr. Jeagerjaques, wrapping his arms around him, and gripping onto the back of his teacher's jacket. Ichigo's breath quickened and he squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the rocking to stop. Mr. Jeagerjaques sat up, dragging Ichigo with him. Although Ichigo was pissed at him, he couldn't bring his self to let go of his teacher. Soon the compartment was only rocking a little and Ichigo opened his eyes, his hands still shaking and attached to his teacher's jacket.

"You're a jerk," Ichigo accused, his voice cracking.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, looking amused. "I didn't think I'd fall…"

"Why are you like this?" Ichigo demanded, slowly making his self release Mr. Jeagerjaques.

He straightened out his jacket, smoothing the wrinkles Ichigo had made. "Like what?"

"This! You always say something mean to me and then apologize and think everything is okay!" Ichigo cried, throwing up his arms.

The compartment shook again and Ichigo leaned forwards, grabbing onto Mr. Jeagerjaques again. He put his hands on Ichigo's shoulders and after a moment Ichigo released his hold on him.

"I'm sorry," he said, frowning. "It's just my personality."

"Well it's not a very good one!" Ichigo told him.

"I know," he responded.

"Yeah— wait, what?" Ichigo said, staring at him.

"I know I have a horrible personality," Mr. Jeagerjaques told Ichigo, rolling his eyes. "I'm not blind."

Ichigo felt the compartment stop and looked around his self before he could stop himself. Dizziness swept over him when he realized they were stopped at the top. Usually Ichigo would be feeling excited, but after his near death experience, he was feeling sick. Ichigo pushed his self away from the side, but before he could sit back Mr. Jeagerjaques grabbed him and pulled Ichigo towards him.

"Wait," Ichigo said, trying to pull away from him.

He held Ichigo tighter and slid the teen down right next to him. "No. I know you're scared, so it's okay."

Ichigo chewed his lip, but sighed. His teacher was right. He was scared. And being closer to Mr. Jeagerjaques made Ichigo feel more at ease, not that he was going to let his teacher know that.

"Fine, but now you'll tell me why those men tried to assault you in the woods."

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled. "Straight to the point, huh? Don't you want to know why I became a gangster?"

Ichigo looked up at him. If he said yes, would his teacher even tell him? Or would he be his usual self and say something along the lines of 'like I would tell you'. After a moment of hesitation Ichigo nodded. He was the one who had offered.

Mr. Jeagerjaques snorted. "Like I would tell you."

Ichigo tried to move away from the man beside him. He knew it. Mr. Jeagerjaques held him fast though and laughed quietly.

"Just kidding," he said, smirking. "I'm not sure exactly when I started, either my freshman or sophomore year of high school. It just so happened that the school that I went to had a bunch of members from the town's gang attending, too."

"That's doesn't mean you have to join them," Ichigo pointed out.

Mr. Jeagerjaques hesitated for a moment, looking uncomfortable. He let out a long sigh before continuing. "That's not it. I didn't join out of my free will right away. At first I was just like every other normal student. I got good grades, played in the school's soccer team, and had friends. But one of my friends was a complete stereotypical nerd who was made fun of all the time."

Ichigo stayed quiet, nodding his head when he felt the need to. Mr. Jeagerjaques stretched, resting his arms on the back of the seat. Ichigo leaned forwards, to make sure that he wouldn't accidentally lean back onto his teacher's arm. Sitting next to him like this made Ichigo feel like they were a couple taking a ride on the Ferris wheel. Ichigo's face heated slightly at his thoughts. Luckily, Mr. Jeagerjaques' voice interrupted them.

"I'm not sure about nowadays, but back when I went to school, we had the classic bullies who literally beat people up for lunch money and all that."

"Weren't you in high school like four years ago, Mr. Jeagerjaques?" Ichigo asked.

He raised an eyebrow, ignoring Ichigo's question. "I told you to call me Grimmjow out of class."

"Sorry, er, Grimmjow," Ichigo responded, looking at his lap. "Please continue."

He chuckled. "Anyways, I bet you guess it, but my friend was beaten up constantly. He never told me though. So one day after soccer practice, I was walking out of the locker room and I ran into four guys beating him up. Without thinking, I dropped my equipment and attacked them."

"All four?"  
Mr. Jeagerjaques nodded. "It was easy. They were all down for the count in five minutes flat. It just so happened that the leader of the school's gang was watching and he wanted me to join them. Do you know what happens when you refuse to join a gang?"

Ichigo shook his head. Mr. Jeagerjaques suddenly started to take off his shirt. Ichigo grabbed it and pulled it back down, blushing madly.

"What are you doing?" Ichigo demanded, avoiding eye contact.

"Relax," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded with a snicker. "I'm just going to show you something."

Ichigo frowned, but let go of his teacher's shirt. He pulled it up again and showed Ichigo his back. Ichigo's breath caught when he saw a large, pale scar running across the top of his teacher's back. He slowly reached out and touched the smooth skin.

"What did they do?" Ichigo whispered.

Mr. Jeagerjaques let out a bark of laughter. "What do you think? They all got together and beat me up until I said I'd join."

Ichigo looked lower on his back and saw another scar. He touched it and Mr. Jeagerjaques arched his back slightly.

"What is this scar from?"

"Lights," he responded.

"Oh my god," Ichigo said, pulling his hand away. "You didn't tell the police?"

"And get myself killed?" Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, pulling down his shirt again and looking at Ichigo with an eyebrow cocked. "I don't think so."

"But—"

"They knew I was stronger than the leader," Mr. Jeagerjaques explained, ignoring him. "That's why they all got together to force me to join. If there had only been like five or seven of them I could have taken them. Twenty, not so much. And since I did join, I was able to easily stop the bullying at the school. My friend was never harassed again."

"So why didn't you just join before they beat you up?" Ichigo asked.

Mr. Jeagerjaques shrugged. "I hadn't thought about being able to stop the bullies at school if I was in the gang, so that's why I refused at first."

"So you went through all that just for your friend?"

"Pretty much," he responded with a shrug. "But it was also for everyone else who was being bullied as well."

Ichigo stared at Mr. Jeagerjaques. He had been wrong about him all along. His teacher wasn't some jerk who didn't care about anyone but himself. In fact, it was like he cared about everyone else more than himself. He had gone through all that, plus having both his parents die? Guilt washed over Ichigo. It felt like his heart had dropped into his gut. He was the jerk here. Not him. Suddenly Ichigo's eyes felt wet and he blinked furiously. Mr. Jeagerjaques put a hand on his shoulder and Ichigo looked up at him. He looked almost as guilty as Ichigo felt, which threw Ichigo off guard. What was he feeling guilty about?

"Are you okay?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked in concern. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry…"

That's why he felt guilty. Ichigo shook his head quickly. "That's not it… It's just… I had pinned you as a self-centered jerk, but I didn't know you at all, so I was just assuming things and I feel really bad about it because you're actually a nice person who would do all that for your friends… And yet the whole time I knew you…"

Mr. Jeagerjaques' face twisted into an expression Ichigo didn't recognize. "It's okay. Being a jerk is part of my personality as well. That just isn't my whole personality."

"I'm a jerk, too," Ichigo pointed out.

"No, you're not," Mr. Jeagerjaques said with a sigh. "You're just an honest kid…who cries easily. And who is probably very gullible," he added as an afterthought.

"How'd you know?" Ichigo asked.

Mr. Jeagerjaques grinned. "I just get a feeling from you."

Ichigo couldn't help but smile back at him. He was seeing his teacher in a new light now. But seeing him in this new light made Ichigo's heartbeat increase, and his stomach churn. Ichigo couldn't pull his gaze away from his teacher's handsome face. Even though he hadn't had much to do with guys, Ichigo definitely recognized these feelings. And it wasn't a good thing.

* * *

**A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter eleven. Two chapters in one day and practically no sleep for about twenty-four hours now. So I'm gonna go to bed now. Night, everyone. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!

Tsukishima: I'm just gonna leave. I'll come back later when I make an appearance in the story. *Slowly backs out of the room, away from the three ring circus of nutcases.*


	12. Chapter 12: Keys?

The air had become considerably colder after the Ferris wheel had made two more complete circles. Now that Ichigo had become use to the height that the Ferris wheel went up to, he was enjoying the ride. Mr. Jeagerjaques sat beside him, keeping silent after spilling part of his past. The ride suddenly came to a halt, stopping them at the very top. Ichigo moved close to the side of the compartment so that he could look down. Mr. Jeagerjaques moved as well, shaking the compartment. A startled gasp escaped Ichigo and he jerked away from the edge, smashing his head against Mr. Jeagerjaques'.

"Ow," Ichigo complained, bringing a hand to the back of his head.

Mr. Jeagerjaques grinned at him. "You have a hard head."

"No, you do," Ichigo responded, frowning.

Mr. Jeagerjaques rolled his eyes, nodding to the left. "Aren't those your friends?"

Following his finger, Ichigo located a few familiar faces that sent of a jolt of surprise through him. Renji and Rukia were standing in line for the Ferris wheel along with Chad and Tatsuki. Panic gripped Ichigo and he looked back at Mr. Jeagerjaques, who looked seemingly unconcerned.

"They're going to see us!" Ichigo told Mr. Jeagerjaques in a frantic whisper.

"What does it matter?" Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, vaguely bemused.

"Because," Ichigo started, ducking his head, "Rukia has it in her head that something might be going on with us, or will be, so if she sees us together she'll think she's right. And Renji…ugh, I don't even want to think about what he'll do. I ditched him to follow you and didn't even leave him a note or anything so he probably hates me."

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled. "You seem to have dug yourself a pretty deep grave."

Ichigo glared at him. "Thank you for your concern."

"Anytime," he responded with a wink.

Rolling his eyes, Ichigo dropped his head into his hands, thinking hard. How would he be able to get them out of this situation? It was impossible. Ichigo quickly counted the groups of people in line and then the number of compartments ahead of theirs. Just his luck, they got to have their car. That meant they'd definitely see us.

"Put your head down," Mr. Jeagerjaques ordered, motioning to his chest. "Face into my chest and wrap your arms around my neck."

"What? Why?"

"Just do it," Mr. Jeagerjaques ordered, taking the back of Ichigo's head and forcing it into his chest.

A muffled cry escaped Ichigo's lips and he felt Mr. Jeagerjaques' chest reverberate with quiet laughter. Mr. Jeagerjaques then grabbed Ichigo's arms and wrapped them around his neck. A few seconds later Ichigo felt him pulling the hood of his hoodie over his head, covering his vibrant orange hair and hiding his face from view. Ichigo kept his face pressed against his teacher's chest, sitting as still as possible.

"Can we go once more around?" Ichigo heard Mr. Jeagerjaques ask in a very persuasive voice.

"Sure," another voice, Ichigo presumed the worker's, responded and the compartment kept moving.

"Hey, Mr. Jeagerjaques," Ichigo heard Rukia cry and felt Mr. Jeagerjaques nod in response.

Ichigo bit his lip in anxiety, silently begging for Rukia not to notice him. After a minute Ichigo felt Mr. Jeagerjaques pulling away from him and Ichigo tightened his arms around his teacher's neck.

"Ichigo," Mr. Jeagerjaques started, prying Ichigo's hands off him. "It's all clear. They got on a few compartments below us."

Ichigo's face blazed and he quickly pushed his self away from Mr. Jeagerjaques. "Um, thanks."

"Anytime," he responded with a grin.

When the Ferris wheel came back full circuit, the worker opened the compartment door to let them out. Ichigo nearly jumped out, keeping his head down. Mr. Jeagerjaques followed, also keeping his head down, and together they hurried as fast as they could away from the attraction.

"Let's get you home," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, pulling Ichigo in the direction of the parking lot.

They made it to the parking lot without trouble. A chilly wind nipped at Ichigo's exposed skin and he shivered, pulling his hoodie tighter around his self. Mr. Jeagerjaques guided Ichigo through the dark, coming to a stop at his car. He fumbled with his keys for a second before opening the passenger door for Ichigo. Ichigo quickly slid in while his teacher hurried to the other side of the car, climbing in the driver's seat.

Mr. Jeagerjaques started the car and glanced at the teen in the car with him. "Do you have service on your cell phone?"

Ichigo's eyes widened and he gasped, digging his hand into his pocket. He fumbled with it for a minute, realizing it was off. Scowling, Ichigo pressed the on button. His phone had a horrible habit of turning off randomly. When it loaded, text message after text message arrived. After fifteen text messages, his missed calls showed up. There were thirty of them. Ichigo checked those first. There were fifteen from Renji, ten from Rukia, three from Tatsuki, and two from Uryu. Ichigo didn't even bother to read the text messages. He flipped open his phone and held down the one button, speed dialing Rukia.

"Ichigo!" Rukia cried after the first ring.

"Hi."

"Where are you?" Rukia demanded. "Do you know how long we've been looking for you? I thought you got kidnapped! Renji said you were there one second and then you were gone! And Chad said he saw you going into the forest!"

"Calm down," Ichigo said, looking over at Mr. Jeagerjaques, who was focusing on the heat, but Ichigo knew he was eavesdropping. "I'm okay, I just ran into…an old friend."

Mr. Jeagerjaques glanced at Ichigo, smirking. Blushing, Ichigo turned away from him. He wasn't good at thinking on the spot.

"You could have at least called!" A new familiar male voice cried.

"Renji!" Ichigo heard Rukia shout. "Give that back!"

"In a minute," Renji responded. "You could have at least called, Ichigo!"

"Sorry," Ichigo said with a sigh. He had really hoped that he wouldn't have to talk to Renji. "I forgot I had my phone. It was off."

"You had me— us worried sick!"

"Sorry," Ichigo apologized again. "It's just that I didn't want to let him out of my sight."

"Him?"

Crap. "Yeah, my friend."

"Where are you now?"

"I'm on my way home."

Ichigo's phone beeped and he looked down at it quickly. The low battery sign was flashing. Sighing, Ichigo placed the phone against his ear again.

"Look," Ichigo started, "I've got to go. My phone is dying."

"Are you with the guy now?"

"Yeah, he's bringing me home. I'll talk to you later," Ichigo responded quickly, his phone beeping again.

"Wait, Ichigo!"

"Bye."

Hitting the end button, Ichigo disconnected the call and shut off his cell phone. Ichigo put it back into his pocket, letting out a little yawn. Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked at him, now pulling out of the parking lot.

"Renji seemed very worried about you," he commented casually.

"Yeah," Ichigo responded wearily. "That's just him though. It's okay. I'm used to it."

"That's sweet," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded with a nod. "Maybe he likes you?"

Ichigo cocked an eyebrow. "No way. He's my best friend. Besides, he likes someone else."

"Who?"

"He won't tell me," Ichigo responded with a shrug. "He's sure she won't go out with him."

"Why does he think that?"

"I don't know. We were talking and he said there was no way she would go out with him. Even though I personally think anyone would go out with him."

"Would you?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, looking at Ichigo from the corner of his eye.

Ichigo shook his head. "What? No, we're just friends. I've never thought of him like that…we're just friends."

For some reason, Ichigo felt like he was explaining his friendship with Renji to his boyfriend.

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled. "Did he ask you that too?"

Ichigo nodded. "I gave him the same answer. But it's only me, I'm sure everyone else would want to."

"You're so…"

"What?" Ichigo asked.

"Never mind," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, shaking his head and grinning. "I guess it's best if you don't know."

"Don't know what?"

"I don't know," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, still smirking.

Ichigo took a deep breath and let it out slowly, letting the subject drop. "Whatever."

It had been one heck of a night. Ichigo stole a glance at Mr. Jeagerjaques, who was now focusing on the road. His messy blue hair was more messy than usual and some of it hung loosely in his face. After a moment Ichigo caught his self staring and blushed. _He's my teacher_, Ichigo told himself. Nothing good could come out of liking a teacher. He had to stop whatever feelings he was beginning to have before they became full blown. Sure, he was a caring, handsome, strong, intelligent man, but that was all.

Ichigo almost snorted. Who was he kidding? He was like the dream guy, well except for the ex-gangster part. But that aside, he was still the type of guy all the girls wanted. And here Ichigo was, sitting in his car all alone with him, trying to stop his self from having feelings for him. A wry smile graced his lips.

"How do I get to your house?" Mr. Jeagerjaques suddenly asked, breaking the silence. "I think I remember it being somewhere around here…"

"Just go down this street," Ichigo told him, pointing to the street that was coming up on their right.

He put his blinker on and made a sharp turn, making Ichigo fall against the window. Mr. Jeagerjaques let out a small snicker and Ichigo glared at him, before turning his head and looking out the window. To Ichigo's surprise, his teacher remembered which house was his. Ichigo looked up at the large, empty, dark house, immediately scolding his self for not even leaving the outside light on.

"Is anyone home?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, staring up at Ichigo's house.

"My dad is staying over at a friend's house due to work," Ichigo told him, unbuckling his seatbelt. "He won't be back until tomorrow afternoon."

Mr. Jeagerjaques frowned. "Are you going to be alright alone?"

Ichigo shrugged. "I guess. I've done it before…well not the whole night, but close enough." Opening the door, Ichigo hopped out, sticking his head back in for a second. "Thanks for the ride. I'll see you Monday."

"Sure," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, looking at Ichigo apprehensively. "You sure you'll be alright?"

"Don't worry. I'm fine."

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked like he was about to say more, but before he could Ichigo shut the car door. He stayed in the driveway, his headlights lighting up the way to the teen's front door for Ichigo as he climbed the path, digging in his front pocket for his keys. When Ichigo couldn't locate them he frowned, sticking his hand in his other front pocket. They both came up empty. Now beginning to panic, Ichigo checked his back pockets and came up short again. Ichigo looked under the mat for the spare key. It wasn't there. A groan of frustration left his lips and in one last urge of hope Ichigo tried the door, hoping he had forgotten to lock it. It didn't open.

"You're kidding me," Ichigo muttered, glaring at the door.

Now what?

Mr. Jeagerjaques honked his horn and Ichigo jumped violently, turning around to glare at his car. He honked again and Ichigo slowly made his way back down to the bottom of his driveway.

Opening the passenger side, Ichigo stuck his head in to frown at his teacher. "What?"

"Why aren't you going inside?" Mr. Jeagerjaques demanded, leaning over to look at Ichigo better.

Ichigo blushed in embarrassment and looked at the ground, wondering if he should tell his teacher the truth or not. "I, er…lost my keys."

"Don't you have a spare?"

"It must be inside or something…"

"What are you going to do?" Mr. Jeagerjaques questioned, frowning at Ichigo.

"I'll just call Rukia or Renji and ask if I can spend the night there," Ichigo told him, pulling out his cell phone.

He pressed the on button a few times before he remembered it was dead. Ichigo groaned in frustration, putting it back in his pocket. He didn't know either of their numbers by heart.

"Guess I'll be camping," Ichigo muttered, straightening up. "See you."

"Whoa, wait!" Mr. Jeagerjaques cried and Ichigo stopped, looking at his teacher curiously. "You're not going to stay outside all night," he told Ichigo in a firm voice.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "What am I supposed to do then? Break into my own house?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked.

"No, I'm not doing that."

He laughed. "No, I'm not telling you to break into your house. You're coming to my house for the night."

Ichigo blinked at him. "What?"

"Get in," he ordered.

"Um, I don't know…"

He raised an eyebrow. "What? Do you want to stay out in the cold?"

Ichigo shook his head. "No, but…"

"But what?"

"You're my teacher," Ichigo murmured, ducking his head. "I don't think it's a good idea."

Mr. Jeagerjaques let out a long sigh. "It'd be worse of me to leave my student out in the cold all night, wouldn't it? Teachers are supposed to help their pupils. Now get in before I force you in."

Ichigo glared at him. "Please?"

"You don't need to say please," he responded with a smug smile. "We both know you want to come over."

"Now don't be too modest," Ichigo muttered, dropping into the passenger's seat. "I'm only doing this because I don't have anywhere else to go."

"Whatever you say, Ichigo."

Ichigo stared out the window, refusing to let his teacher get on his nerves. There were butterflies in his stomach as Mr. Jeagerjaques pulled out of his driveway, heading back down the street. Contrary to Ichigo's words, he actually was excited to be going to his teacher's house, even if he was only helping Ichigo because he felt bad.

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**A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter twelve. I know Ichigo was pretty emotional or girly in the last couple chapters, but you all shouldn't expect that to change. I'm sorry if that upsets any of you, but that's the way that I want to portray him in this story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	13. Chapter 13: Spending the Night

"This is my apartment," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, opening the white oak door to apartment two hundred and fifteen. "Sorry, it's kind of messy…I'm missing a lady's hand, you know?"

Raising an eyebrow at him, Ichigo stepped into the apartment. It was too dark to see anything so Ichigo stood idly by the door, feeling Mr. Jeagerjaques brush past him. Seconds later light flooded the room. Ichigo surveyed the room while slipping off his shoes. It seemed like Mr. Jeagerjaques liked to color code. A love seat, a recliner, and a couch that surrounded a large plasma television were all made out of the same crimson leather that matched the color of the paint on the walls. White pillows were set upon the furniture, matching the trimming of the room. There was a deep brown coffee table in the middle of the furniture and on it was a small bowl of candy, filled with M&M's. A large shelf of DVDs was set up next to the television.

There were a few magazines and newspapers scattered around on the ground, a few dishes were on the coffee table, and a few jackets were tossed on the backs of the furniture. But other than that it looked rather clean to Ichigo, especially for a single man living alone.

"It's actually a nice place," Ichigo finally commented, going over to the leather sofa and placing a hand on it. "And clean."

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled, picking up some of the dishes off the coffee table. "Thanks. Are you hungry?"

As if on cue, Ichigo's stomach rumbled. Ichigo looked down in embarrassment, while Mr. Jeagerjaques sniggered.

"I'll take that as a yes. I'll order some pizza. Take a seat and make yourself at home. Is pepperoni alright?"

"Yep," Ichigo responded.

Mr. Jeagerjaques disappeared into the kitchen and Ichigo walked up to the television, picking up a photo off the stand and looking at it. A younger Mr. Jeagerjaques was standing with two people Ichigo assumed to be his parents. He had a carefree grin on, his messy hair falling in his face. His jaw had the same sharp structure as it did in the present. Smiling, Ichigo set the picture down and wandered out of the living room, going into the hallway.

The first door was open, revealing a very clean and white bathroom. For a moment Ichigo was tempted to see what kind of shampoo Mr. Jeagerjaques used, but he forced his self away. What was he, a stalker? The next door was the laundry room, which showed Mr. Jeagerjaques' true nature. Piles of laundry that nearly reached the ceiling resided there. Ichigo quickly shut the door and moved on. The last room was Mr. Jeagerjaques' bedroom.

Pausing by the door, Ichigo stuck his head in and looked around. It was a pretty average room. The walls were brown and the floor was made out of oak wood. Another flat screen television was on the wall and there was a big, brown, leather couch across from it. A large king sized bed was placed against the far corner of the room. To Ichigo's surprise, it was made. The comforter was the same color as the walls and the pillow sheets lighter shades of brown and white. Mr. Jeagerjaques was very color coordinated.

Just as Ichigo sat down on the leather couch in the living room, Mr. Jeagerjaques came out of the kitchen, holding the phone. He put it back on the receiver by the door and took a seat on the couch next to Ichigo, turning on the television.

"Do you want to watch anything in particular?" Mr. Jeagerjaques inquired, giving the teen a sidelong glance.

Ichigo shook his head, keeping his hands clasped tightly on his lap. Mr. Jeagerjaques flipped the channel to a soccer game, turning up the volume. Ichigo's palms grew sweaty and he quickly wiped them on his pants. What was there to be so nervous about? Oh, yeah. He was alone with his teacher, in said man's apartment, on said man's couch, with these feelings that he was trying to force away before they became something. This situation wasn't helping at all, but it wasn't like he had any other choice. No one liked sleeping outside in the cold. And no one in his or her right mind would choose that over going to spend the night at someone like Mr. Jeagerjaques' house.

"And that's why you don't give the ball to Bashista," Mr. Jeagerjaques suddenly muttered as the crowd on the television booed.

A small laugh escaped his lips and Ichigo quickly covered his mouth with his hand.

Mr. Jeagerjaques turned and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing…I just never would have guessed you were so…normal, you know?" Ichigo told him with a shrug. "It's weird."

"What do you mean?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked slowly, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

_Boy did he look cute when he was confused._ Ichigo violently shook his head, feeling his face heat up. He couldn't be having those thoughts!

Mr. Jeagerjaques tilted his head to the side. "Well?"

Ichigo snapped out of his thoughts, shrugging to his teacher. "I don't even know. I just thought you'd like, come home and read some literature books or something. Or start beating up a punching bag. Or your house would be a mess. Stuff like that."

Mr. Jeagerjaques laughed. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I am a normal person as well."

"I'm not disappointed," Ichigo responded without thinking.

Mr. Jeagerjaques stared at him for a moment before shrugging and turning back to the television. Ichigo blushed again and focused on the soccer game on the television. After about twenty minutes, the doorbell rang. Mr. Jeagerjaques stood up and went to answer it, opening the door to reveal the pizza guy. A few moments later, Mr. Jeagerjaques closed the door, pizza in hand.

"Do you need a plate," he asked, coming back over to the couch.

Ichigo shook his head. "Nope, I'm good."

"Good, now I won't have to wash as many dishes," he responded, setting the pizza box down between them.

He opened it and took a piece out. Ichigo copied him, picking up a warm piece of pizza and bringing it to his lips. The cheese slid off, burning his fingers and mouth, so Ichigo quickly let go of it. It landed on his pants, now burning his leg through his pants.

"Ow, ow, ow," Ichigo muttered, picking the pizza up and tossing it back into the box.

"Good job," Mr. Jeagerjaques commented, smirking.

Ichigo pursed his lips at him before turning to the mess on his pants. "Napkin?"

"Here," he said, reaching to his side and tossing Ichigo a few napkins.

Ichigo wiped off the pizza sauce and cheese the best that he could, but there was still a large stain left on his pants. Sighing, Ichigo put the dirty napkins on the top part of the pizza box, letting the next piece he took cool off before eating it.

By the time the game was over, the pizza was gone and Ichigo was half asleep on the couch. Mr. Jeagerjaques stood up, picking up the pizza box as he did so. Ichigo stood up as well and followed him to the kitchen drowsily. The clock on the kitchen wall read one in the morning. A yawn escaped Ichigo's lips and he rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Follow me," Mr. Jeagerjaques ordered.

Ichigo did as he ordered and followed him back to his bedroom. He dug around in his dresser for a few moments before tossing Ichigo a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. Ichigo looked at them and looked back up at Mr. Jeagerjaques, confused.

"Wear those to sleep in. I don't want you wearing your dirty pants in my bed."

Ichigo stared at him, his eyes widening. What did he mean in his bed? Was his teacher expecting him to sleep with him? He must've seen Ichigo's bewildered expression because he chuckled, a smirk gracing his lips again.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to take advantage of you. I'll be sleeping on the couch." He pointed to the brown leather couch.

"I'll sleep on the couch," Ichigo said quickly. "It's fine."

"No," he responded sternly. "You're the guest, so that means you get the bed. Now go to the bathroom and change. However, if you want to change in front of me, I'm not stopping you."

Ichigo blushed and shook his head violently, heading towards the bathroom. After shutting the door and locking it, Ichigo stripped and pulled on the pajama bottoms and t-shirt. Both articles of clothing were pretty big on him, so he had to tie the pajama bottoms' string tightly. The bottom of the t-shirt reached mid-thigh. Ichigo used the toilet and washed his face before going back to the bedroom. Mr. Jeagerjaques was in the middle of taking off his shirt. He looked over at Ichigo with an amused expression.

"Sorry!" Ichigo apologized, looking away immediately as his cheeks warmed.

"It's fine," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded. "I sleep without a shirt on."

Ichigo looked back over at him; he was now completely shirtless. He went searching in his dresser again and Ichigo took the opportunity to check out his teacher's naked chest. His teacher has well defined abs. Not surprising, since he was an ex-gangster. He really had a nice body. Ichigo shook his head, mentally slapping his self. He couldn't check out his teacher! It was wrong!

Mr. Jeagerjaques raised an eyebrow. "Are you checking me out?"

"No!"

He chuckled. "Whatever you say."

A yawn escaped Ichigo's lips when he opened them to defend his self. Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked again, nodding towards the bed.

"Get in," he ordered.

Immediately Ichigo hurried over to the bed, pausing next to it awkwardly for a second before climbing into it. The sheets were cold as Ichigo quickly pulled them over his body. Mr. Jeagerjaques went over to the light switch and turned it off, darkness flooding the room. His silhouette was illuminated by the moonlight as he returned to the couch. He let out a quiet sigh, flopping onto his back on the couch.

"Night, Ichigo."

"Night," Ichigo responded quietly.

His heart was beating excitedly at the thought of being in Mr. Jeagerjaques' bed. Ichigo took a deep breath and a pleasant scent filled his nose, Mr. Jeagerjaques' scent. A quiet sigh escaped his lips. This was wrong, but Ichigo couldn't help his self from feeling happy.

Ichigo's stormy thoughts kept him awake for a while. The sound of Mr. Jeagerjaques' even breathing also kept him distracted. Sleep crept up on Ichigo like a ninja, and before he knew it, he was off in dreamland.

Something hot was covering Ichigo's back. Ichigo's eyes opened groggily, seeing only the blackness of the room. He attempted to roll over, but whatever was covering his back wasn't going anywhere. That's when he noticed the arm under him. Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise as he next took in the arm over him. Then he noticed who the arms were attached to. His head turned slowly to see Mr. Jeagerjaques' chiseled, sleeping face right next to his. Ichigo swallowed nervously, trying to move his self out of his teacher's grasp without waking him. Mr. Jeagerjaques naked chest was moving up and down slowly as he breathed. Ichigo resisted the urge to touch him.

When did he climb into bed? Why did he? Ichigo struggled to slide out of his arms, but they suddenly tightened up. A small groan of frustration left his lips. This wasn't good. His arms were revealing Ichigo's true thoughts. Ichigo really didn't want to move away from his arms. What Ichigo wanted to do was snuggle closer to him and go back to sleep. But there was no way Ichigo could do that.

Whatever happened to his commitment of stopping his feelings before they became too much? It didn't seem like he was doing a very good job. Ichigo's stomach was tingling from his awareness of his teacher's body being so close to his. Shaking his head, Ichigo held in a sigh. What was wrong with him? How could he have feelings for this devil of a teacher? Ichigo glanced back at his teacher's peaceful face and caught his breath. He was really handsome…

Suddenly something entered Ichigo's field of vision. Ichigo froze, his breath catching once again, but not because of Mr. Jeagerjaques. A large, brown spider was crawling on the pillow, in Ichigo's direction. Immediately Ichigo screamed, shoving back violently, knocking Mr. Jeagerjaques off the bed and going with him. Ichigo struggled frantically, trying to escape the tangle of sheets they were caught in.

"What's wrong?" Mr. Jeagerjaques demanded, sitting up, his hands made into fists.

"Spider," Ichigo gasped, crawling over his chest and finally leaving the tangled mess of the sheets.

He blinked at Ichigo for a second before chuckling. Pushing his self to his feet, Mr. Jeagerjaques peered over the bed. "Where?"

"Pillow!"

Ichigo watched as his teacher reached over to the pillow, scooping up the creepy crawler. He came over to Ichigo, smirking, and held it out toward Ichigo's face.

"Stop!" Ichigo cried, scrambling back away from him.

"It's harmless," he told Ichigo, letting it crawl around his hand. "See?"

"Take it outside," Ichigo begged, giving his best puppy dog eyes.

He looked at Ichigo with an amused expression. "Don't you want me to kill it?"

"Why? It didn't do anything."

Mr. Jeagerjaques stared at him for a moment, his face twisted into an unrecognizable expression.

"That's different," he finally commented quietly. "Alright, I'll bring it outside."

He disappeared out the door and Ichigo took the time to recollect his self. Ichigo picked up the blanket and sheets he had knocked to the floor and tossed them back on the bed. Then he went to the bathroom and quickly washed his face. When he was done, Ichigo wandered out to the living room just as Mr. Jeagerjaques was coming back in. He let out a yawn, the muscles in his arms rippling as he stretched. Ichigo's eyes ran over his toned stomach involuntarily and he blushed, looking away quickly.

"Boy it was hot last night," he commented, rubbing his stomach.

"I wonder why," Ichigo responded sharply, glaring at him accusingly.

He held up his hands in defense. "I got cold, okay? I didn't think it'd matter if I just slept on the other side of the bed… If it makes you feel better, I was hoping I'd wake up earlier than you so you wouldn't notice."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "How would that make me feel better?"

He shrugged.

"Mr. Jeagerjaques—"

"Grimmjow," he corrected Ichigo.

"You can't sleep in the same bed as me! You're a teacher and I'm a student. It's wrong."

"We aren't at school," he responded with a frown. "And I know it's wrong. That's why I didn't try anything with you."

Ichigo stared at him, his mouth slightly open.

"Joking," he added quickly, but a smirk came onto his face. "But you look extremely cute while you sleep."

Ichigo's face burned and he quickly averted his gaze. His teacher was unbelievable. He wasn't helping Ichigo's situation at all! Ichigo knew his teacher didn't know what his situation was, but Ichigo was falling deeper and deeper into a hole that would be very difficult to climb out of. Calling him cute was just digging it deeper. But Ichigo couldn't deny it anymore. They were his feelings and Ichigo had to deal with them.

Ichigo was falling for his literature teacher.

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**A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter thirteen. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	14. Chapter 14: Some Enlightening

An abundant arrangement of food was set out before Ichigo when he walked into the kitchen about an hour later. Ichigo gaped at the tempting buffet in astonishment. Mr. Jeagerjaques' smug face greeted him when Ichigo finally looked up from the food.

"Why did you make so much?" Ichigo inquired, gesturing towards the wide arrangement of food.

"I don't know what you like, so I just made a bit of everything," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded with a casual shrug.

"A bit?" Ichigo choked, looking at the enormous stacks of French toast and pancakes.

"Does it not look appetizing?"

"No, that's not it!" Ichigo uttered quickly. "It's just…I thought you couldn't cook."

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled, putting a hand on Ichigo's shoulder and steering the teen to the table. He pushed Ichigo down on one of the wooden chairs and proceeded to take the seat across from the teen.

"I lied."

Ichigo opened his mouth to retort, but his teacher cut him off.

"Well let's not waste it, shall we?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, reaching for a large bowl of scrambled eggs.

Ichigo nodded meekly, biting back his retort, still in shock by the enormous amount of food his teacher had made in just under an hour. The French toast was calling Ichigo's name, so he took two pieces, setting them on his plate. Pouring some maple syrup on his French toast, Ichigo used a knife to cut off a small piece. Cautiously, Ichigo put it up to his mouth, hesitating for a moment. Mr. Jeagerjaques was staring at him so he abruptly closed his mouth, feeling a blush coming on his face. His teacher frowned.

"Are you afraid to try it?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked.

Ichigo shook his head. "No…I'm just not comfortable eating while people are staring at me."

Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked. "I see."

He put his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his hand, gazing at Ichigo more intensely than before. Ichigo glowered at him. He was doing it on purpose. Ichigo wanted to slap that stupid, sexy smirk right off his face. Wait, sexy? Ichigo mentally slapped his self. He couldn't be having those thoughts, especially after he had spent the night in the same bad as him. It was wrong. How many times did he have to tell his self that? _Maybe you should just accept it_, a thoughtful voice commented in his head.

Mr. Jeagerjaques' phone suddenly went off. Ichigo knew his teacher's ringtone by heart now. He took the time that his teacher looked away from him to stuff a piece of French toast in his mouth. It felt like he had just taken a bite of heaven. Ichigo chewed slowly and swallowed, trying to savor the taste. Mr. Jeagerjaques was still looking at his phone so Ichigo quickly shoved a few more pieces into his mouth.

When he looked back up, Ichigo was in the middle of chewing all the pieces that were in his mouth. Ichigo's cheeks were blown out just like a squirrel's were when it had nuts in its mouth. Mr. Jeagerjaques snorted, trying to keep his face straight. Ichigo's face flushed in embarrassment and he quickly tried to swallow the rest of the French toast without chewing. He managed to get half down before choking. Heaving, Ichigo covered his mouth with his hand, his embarrassment continuing to grow as he choked.

Mr. Jeagerjaques was in all out laughter now. Ichigo continued to hack into his hand until his throat was cleared. Before he swallowed the rest of the food in his mouth, Ichigo chewed it slowly and thoroughly. Mr. Jeagerjaques was still laughing. Ichigo glared at him.

"It's not that funny," Ichigo told him, his cheeks flaming.

"Yes, it is," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, shaking his head, trying not to laugh. "But I'm glad you like it so much."

"It's really good," Ichigo admitted, looking down at his plate.

"Well eat some other things too," Mr. Jeagerjaques enjoined, waving his arm over the food, "I suggest trying the home fries. They are my specialty."

Ichigo opened his mouth to say something in return when Mr. Jeagerjaques' phone went off again. He scowled and Ichigo shut his mouth quickly as his teacher flipped his phone open.

"These girls just don't leave me alone," he muttered, tapping away at his phone.

"Who?" Ichigo asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Some girls from your class," he told Ichigo with a sigh. "I gave them my phone number because they thought they were going to have trouble with their literature homework. I told them they could text me if they had any questions, but they've been texting me about other things."

Ichigo felt a pang of jealousy in his gut and it surprised him. Was he really jealous because those girls had Mr. Jeagerjaques' phone number, while he didn't? That was so shallow! Ichigo wanted to grab something hard and strike his head with it repeatedly.

"Um, why don't you tell them to stop texting you?" Ichigo suggested, shoving aside his jealousy.

Mr. Jeagerjaques shook his head. "I'm not the mean teacher, remember?"

"But that's not being mean!" Ichigo responded quickly. "I mean you are a teacher and they are students. They shouldn't be texting you in the first place. I don't understand why you'd give them a personal number. Why not like an email or something?"

Ichigo knew he was babbling so he quickly shut his self up, grabbing a glass of juice in front of him and putting it up to his lips before he could say anything more.

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled slightly. "Are you jealous?"

Ichigo coughed out his drink. The juice dribbled down his chin as Ichigo stared at Mr. Jeagerjaques' complacent face. Just as Ichigo opened his mouth to deny his teacher's accusation, a loud pounding from the door sounded abruptly. Ichigo jumped, spilling some juice on his shirt. An annoyed groan left his lips and Ichigo peeled the wet cloth from his skin. Mr. Jeagerjaques snickered and stood up, walking out of the kitchen to answer the door. Ichigo looked around for a napkin, and when he spotted one he grabbed it and began to spot his wet shirt.

Muffled voices came from the living room as Ichigo picked up a home fry with his fork. As he expected, it tasted excellent. Mr. Jeagerjaques was a really good cook. Ichigo popped a few more in his mouth and chewed them slowly, trying to make out the voices in the other room. When Ichigo heard footsteps returning to the kitchen, he turned in his chair. Mr. Jeagerjaques came in with another man behind him.

Ichigo gawked at the man behind Mr. Jeagerjaques for a moment. He had long, wavy, black hair that reached his shoulders and brown eyes. The man was a couple inches taller than Mr. Jeagerjaques' height and had a similar build as Mr. Jeagerjaques, except a littler thinner. To Ichigo's ongoing amazement, he looked like he was only about eighteen years old.

When their gazes met, his jaw dropped. His eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head.

"Holy shit," he uttered, turning to look at Mr. Jeagerjaques. "Holly shit, Grimmjow."

"Shut up," Mr. Jeagerjaques hissed, jamming his elbow into his friend's side.

"Look at him," the dark haired man murmured, staring at Ichigo intently. "Hey."

It took Ichigo a minute to realize he was speaking to him.

"Hi," Ichigo responded in a quiet voice, the stranger's intimidating looks getting the best of him.

The dark haired man chuckled, nudging Mr. Jeagerjaques in the side. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, sounding annoyed with the man. "Why did you follow me into my kitchen?"

"Because I have something to tell this young man," the dark haired man informed Mr. Jeagerjaques.

"How could you possibly have something to tell him if you've never met him?" Mr. Jeagerjaques responded with a sigh.

The dark haired man came over to Ichigo and squatted down to his sitting height. He grinned at the teen and Ichigo returned it with his own small, sheepish smile. The dark haired man held out his hand and Ichigo took it. He squeezed Ichigo's hand hard, nearly crushing it.

"My name's Shukuro, but you can call me Tsukishima," he appraised Ichigo. "You're Ichigo, right? Interesting name."

He shot a secretive smile at Mr. Jeagerjaques that Ichigo didn't understand. Mr. Jeagerjaques gave Tsukishima a flat look.

"How do you know my name?" Ichigo asked curiously.

Tsukishima laughed. "News travels quickly."

"News?" Ichigo shot a look at Mr. Jeagerjaques, who rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Yeah, how you got in a fight with the second in command of our gang," Tsukishima told Ichigo, smiling slightly.

"I didn't really get in a fight with him…"

He laughed. "Even so, you're in a little trouble."

"What? Why?" Ichigo's pulse increased significantly. He was in trouble? What did that mean?

"Because technical you opposed the gang," Tsukishima explained, "And also because you were trying to help Grimmjow at the scene. That was reported."

"That doesn't have anything to do with him," Mr. Jeagerjaques cut in. "It's not like they'll gang up on him…he's like a girl."

Tsukishima shook his head. "Times have changed since you left, Grimmjow."

"They attack girls now?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked skeptically.

"Yeah, that asshole Kugo took over."

Mr. Jeagerjaques shook his head in disbelief. "Kugo? Are you kidding me? They couldn't have chosen someone worse."

"I know," Tsukishima responded with a nod, "which is why I came to warn little Ichigo here."

"Warn me for what? What are they going to do?" Ichigo's eyes were wide as he stared at the pair of men before him.

"Well they might target you," Tsukishima enlightened Ichigo, "Either as bait to lure Grimmjow somewhere since they still have some hard feelings from what happened, or for revenge for getting in a fight with the second in command."

"But I didn't do anything," Ichigo responded, feeling panic beginning to course through him. "Are they going to kill me? Are they going to do what they did to Mr. Jeagerjaques? What's going to happen to me?"

Ichigo's hands were shaking now and his eyes were wide as he stared at the pair of men before him. He didn't know a single thing about gangs! Ichigo did know, however, that they could kill people and get away with it. But they wouldn't kill someone just getting into a small fight, right? Ichigo tried to calm his self, taking deep breaths and letting them out slowly. Nothing was going to happen to him.

"Look! You've got him all worked up now!" Mr. Jeagerjaques accused Tsukishima, coming over to Ichigo, putting a hand on the teen's shoulder and applying pressure on it gently.

"I'm sorry, but it's better if he knows so he can be more on his guard," Tsukishima responded, frowning at Ichigo.

"Why would they go after him though? It's not like he's of any importance," Mr. Jeagerjaques said to Tsukishima. "It's me they're after."

"But he was with you back when you were attacked the other night," Tsukishima pointed out. "That can be misleading. For example, they could think you're rallying people to make your own gang. Or if he was your boyfriend, they could use him for bait. Stuff like that."

Mr. Jeagerjaques muttered a few curses. "I can't just have a peaceful life, can I?"

Tsukishima laughed. "That's what you get after what you did."

"What did you do?" Ichigo asked Mr. Jeagerjaques, calmed down now.

"I told you," he responded smoothly.

Ichigo frowned at him. "No…you just told me why you joined. Not anything that happened or why you left."

"Well it doesn't matter," he replied quickly. "Eat more food."

Ichigo frowned and put some scrambled eggs and bacon on his plate. Tsukishima and Mr. Jeagerjaques went into the other room to talk in private. Scowling, Ichigo shoved the eggs into his mouth. Ichigo's scowl faded into a small smile at the taste. How could he be angry with this delicious food in front of him? But the food didn't change that he was now involved with some kind of gang. And he didn't know how dangerous it was going to be.

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**A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter fourteen. I bet none of you expected Tsukishima to appear there and as Grimmjow's friend. I'm happy to know that you all understand that this is my story and that the characters, especially Ichigo, in this story will be pretty out of character. And I hope you're all enjoying the the story so far and the fast updates. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!

Ichigo: I hate her for making me so girly in this story. *Glares at Author, who is still torturing Ulquiorra.*  
Tsukishima: You know, it probably doesn't help that she had gotten the idea to turn your character into a female, but she didn't have the heart to do it. So, you ended up being an extremely girly, gay boy. In my opinion, I find this more hilarious than if you had been turned into a girl. *Shrugging, he ignores the killer looks being sent his way by said unfortunate substitute shinigami. Grimmjow tries to smother his snickering in the background, but fails and ends up rolling on the floor dying of laughter.*  
Ichigo: I'll kill you! *Runs after Grimmjow trying to kill the Espada with Zangetsu, as said Espada runs in circles around the Author and Ulquiorra with Ichigo behind him.*  
Tsukishima: I'm surrounded by idiots. *Sighs before leaving the room, shaking his head.*


	15. Chapter 15: Dinner Plans

Mr. Jeagerjaques pulled into Ichigo's driveway and drove all the way to the top of it. When he stopped the car he looked over at Ichigo.

"Is your dad home yet?"

"Not yet. His car isn't in the driveway," Ichigo told him, unbuckling his seat.

"You're welcome to come back to my house and I can bring you back later," Mr. Jeagerjaques told the teen. "I don't mind."

Ichigo's first instinct was to say yes, but he bit his tongue to stay quiet. Spending the night at Mr. Jeagerjaques' was enough. Ichigo wasn't sure how much longer he could stay with Mr. Jeagerjaques before he fell for his teacher completely.

"It's day time now, so I'll be okay. He'll probably be home soon anyway," Ichigo explained, turning to face his teacher. "Thanks for the ride."

"Anytime," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded.

Ichigo reached out to grab the door handle when he felt a hand on his arm. He turned around to see Mr. Jeagerjaques staring at him curiously.

"What?" Ichigo asked, raising a hand to his face subconsciously.

"Huh? Oh." He let go of Ichigo's arm. "Nothing. Never mind. See you later."

"Okay…"

Ichigo turned back around to open the door when something outside the front door of his house caught his attention.

"Oh no."

Ichigo turned to Mr. Jeagerjaques, who was smirking. He glanced over at Ichigo and let out a laugh.

"Have fun."

Ichigo's plan was to quickly get out of the car and have Mr. Jeagerjaques leave as soon as possible. When he started rolling down the window, Ichigo stared at him in horror.

"What are you doing?" Ichigo hissed, reaching over and trying to shove his hand away from the window control.

Mr. Jeagerjaques shoved Ichigo's hand away and stuck his head out the window. He honked the horn before shouting, "Hey, Renji."

Renji looked up from his head down position on Ichigo's front steps. He looked at the car for a minute in confusion, then his expression turned to shock, and then into suspicion. Finally he narrowed his eyes on Ichigo.

"You are such a jerk," Ichigo muttered, narrowing his eyes at Mr. Jeagerjaques.

"I know," he responded with a smirk. "Now get out of my car."

Ichigo heaved a heavy and irritated sigh before reaching for the door handle. He winged it open and slammed it as hard as he could. Ichigo smirked a little to his self when he glanced back out of the corner of his eye and saw Mr. Jeagerjaques with an annoyed expression. Suddenly the car horn blasted and Ichigo jumped, nearly slipping on the gravel in the driveway. Ichigo turned back, his face flushed with embarrassment.

Mr. Jeagerjaques gestured with his hand for Ichigo to come over to his side. Ichigo obeyed, only the slightest bit reluctant. He rolled down his window and Ichigo stuck his head into it, looking over at Renji warily.

"What?"

"Be careful."

He rolled his eyes and looked over to give him a sarcastic look when he came face-to-face with Mr. Jeagerjaques' serious expression. Ichigo's mind went blank for a second, surprised by the intensity of it. All remarks in his head were gone. Why did he look so serious all of a sudden? For some reason, it made Ichigo uneasy. But soon Mr. Jeagerjaques' face turned into a smirk.

"Aw, you look all worried now."

"Who wouldn't?" Ichigo demanded angrily, pulling his head back out of the window. "See you later, Mr. Jeagerjaques."

"Ichigo, wait!"

Ichigo waved his hand at him in dismissal without looking back. He heard the rev of his teacher's engine and then heard it backing up out of his driveway. Soon, the sound of the car disappearing altogether and Ichigo sighed. He usually didn't mind Mr. Jeagerjaques teasing him, in fact he thought he secretly enjoyed it, but when it had to do with Ichigo's safety, it was a different. And since it had to do with both Mr. Jeagerjaques' and his own safety, it was a much different story. But his teacher didn't seem to be taking it too seriously.

"What were you doing with him?" Renji demanded when Ichigo was in earshot.

Ichigo sighed. "Why are you at my house, Renji?"

"I wanted to see if you made it home safely last night," Renji muttered, looking down at the ground.

Ichigo smiled slightly. "Aw, shucks, Renji!"

Renji rolled his eyes at Ichigo. "Anyways, back to the main topic; what were you doing with Jeagerjaques?"

"Did you bring your extra key?" Ichigo asked Renji, trying to avoid the subject.

"Yeah. Now stop trying to change the top—"

"Why didn't you let yourself in?"

"Because I wasn't going to invite myself in if no one was here," Renji explained, looking slightly irritated.

"Well I want to go inside now, so can we go in?" Ichigo asked, frowning at Renji.

Renji shook his head and took the key out of his pocket. He handed it to Ichigo and he used it to unlock the door. Ichigo opened the door in relief and sauntered in, relieved to be able to get inside now. Renji took the key back out of Ichigo's hand and put it in his pocket.

"You're lucky you thought of giving me an extra key," Renji told Ichigo, smirking. "Otherwise you'd be locked out."

Ichigo laughed. "I'm glad, too. I always seem to lose my keys…"

"Yeah. Why don't you— Hey!"

"Hey?" Ichigo repeated.

"You're trying to change the subject again!"

Ichigo sighed in defeat. "Okay. I stayed at Gri— Mr. Jeagerjaques' place last night, because I was locked out of my house and he didn't want me to have sleep outside by myself. Nothing else." Ichigo narrowed his eyes at him slightly. "We don't have some secret affair going on and if you think that, Rukia's been getting into your head too often."

Renji blushed slightly. "I didn't think that…"

Ichigo chuckled and nudged Renji in the side with his elbow. "Come on, Renji! Me dating a teacher? That's gross."

"Yeah," Renji responded slowly. "You're right. I couldn't ever see you breaking the law by dating a teacher. And it'd just be wrong."

Ichigo frowned slightly. It was okay when he said it, but for some reason he didn't like it when other people said it was wrong. Ichigo especially hated when they brought up that a relationship like that was illegal. However, Ichigo shook those thoughts away quickly.

"Did you eat already?" Renji asked, leading Ichigo to the kitchen. "I can make you something if you want."

"Nah, Mr. Jeagerjaques already made me breakfast." And Ichigo still couldn't believe how amazing of a cook his teacher was.

Renji frowned slightly. Ichigo mimicked his friend's expression. Why did Renji always frown whenever Ichigo mentioned Mr. Jeagerjaques? He didn't have any reaction when Rukia or Orihime mentioned him, so why Ichigo? Was it because Ichigo was his best friend? But what was he worried about in the first place? Ichigo ran a hand through his hair. Why were some people so difficult to understand?

"Do you like anyone?" Renji asked suddenly.

Ichigo stared at him curiously. "We've been over this already, Renji. I don't like anyone."

"Not even the slightest bit?"

Ichigo opened his mouth to say no, but closed it after thinking for a moment. He couldn't deny that he had a little crush on Mr. Jeagerjaques. A little, tiny, itty-bitty crush on his teacher that any girl or gay man would have if they saw him, but Ichigo couldn't tell Renji that. However, Ichigo didn't want to lie to him either. Ichigo chewed on his bottom lip and looked at the floor.

"Ichigo?"

"Who do you like?" Ichigo asked, trying to avoid answering his friend.

Renji rolled his eyes. "I'm not telling you."

"Then I won't tell you who I like," Ichigo responded with a smirk.

Renji narrowed his eyes. "That's not fair."

"Yeah, it is," Ichigo responded. "You don't tell me, I don't tell you. That's fair."

"But you said you didn't like anyone!"

"Maybe I lied."

"Never mind, let's just drop it," Renji responded with a sigh.

Ichigo stared at him, extremely confused. Why did he even bring it up in the first place? He shook his head. Renji was so confusing sometimes.

"Do you want to go to dinner tomorrow night?"

"Huh?"

"You know, dinner. What you eat at night," Renji explained sarcastically.

Ichigo rolled his eyes at his friend. "I'll go. Have you asked Rukia yet?"

Renji shook his head. "Just you and me."

Ichigo shrugged. "Okay."

Renji's face lit up. "Really?"

Ichigo nodded. "Why wouldn't I?"

Renji stared at Ichigo for a split second with a weird expression before shrugging. "I don't know why you wouldn't want to."

"Well maybe I'm sick of you."

Renji looked at Ichigo with a fake horrified expression. "No!"

Ichigo laughed and nudged his friend in the shoulder. "You know I can't get tired of you, Renji. You're one of my best friends and will always be one of my best friends."

"What if I—," Renji cut his self off and cleared his throat.

"What if you what?"

"Never mind," Renji said quickly, forcing out a quick laugh. "I'm going to go home, so see you later Ichigo."

"You're leaving already?"

He nodded. "I only came over to make sure you got home. No other reason. So I'll talk to you later."

"You're too nice," Ichigo laughed, giving his friend a small hug. "I'll see you tomorrow in school then."

Renji pushed Ichigo away from him. Ichigo looked at him in surprise. His friend's expression almost mimicking his.

"Um, sorry," he apologized, his brow furrowing.

"It's alright…"

Renji grinned at Ichigo for a second before waving and heading out of the kitchen.

* * *

**A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter fifteen. Hey, everyone. I know this is off topic and all, but I was wondering if any of you knew of any writing prompt sites like Creative Copy Challenge on Wordpress. If so, I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd tell me. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	16. Chapter 16: Subbing for Gym

Loud, excited talking met Ichigo's ears as soon as he stepped out of the boys' locker room door. Ichigo frowned, but walked towards the girls' locker room to wait for Rukia. Rukia was just exiting the locker room when Ichigo got there.

"Ichigo," she cried, rushing towards him. "Guess who is subbing for gym class?"

He knew right away by all the excited girls, but decided to play along. "Who?"

"Mr. Jeagerjaques!"

"Cool," Ichigo responded, leaning against the wall outside the girls' locker room as more chattering girls left the locker room.

"Why aren't you more excited?" Rukia asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"Why should I be more excited?" Ichigo responded with a question of his own. "This just means all the girls will be trying to impress him."

"Well I think you should be happy."

"Why's that?"

Rukia winked. "He gets to see you in your cute little short-shorts."

Ichigo blushed at her teasing, knowing his shorts were far from being that short. "My shorts aren't that short!"

"Still, you never wear shorts except for gym."

"He's a teacher, Rukia, I don't think he cares what high school students look like in shorts, especially boys," Ichigo told her, rolling his eyes. "When will you get it out of your head that Grimmjow and I have a thing for each other?"

"Grimmjow," she repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"I meant Mr. Jeagerjaques," Ichigo corrected his self quickly.

Rukia smirked. "Sure you did. Renji told me about how you and Mr. Jeagerjaques were in the same car together yesterday morning."

Ichigo scowled and silently cursed Renji. But he had never told him not to tell, so it wasn't entirely his fault.

"Whatever, let's just go up. Everyone has already finished changing and I bet the bell—"

Before he could finish his sentence, the bell went off. Rukia made a face and together they ran for the stairs that led up to the gym. Ichigo pushed the door open and, sure enough, there was Mr. Jeagerjaques with a gaggle of girls surrounding him.

"I want to go talk to him," Rukia complained as Ichigo dragged her to where Renji and Kaien, Rukia's on and off again boyfriend, were.

"Hey babe," Kaien greeted Rukia, giving her a one armed hug.

Ichigo guessed that they had gotten back together sometime during the weekend from the looks of it.

"Hi," she responded with a sigh.

Renji laughed, patting Kaien on the back. "Looks like she was struck by the Jeagerjaques love bug, too."

Rukia laughed, while Kaien shot Renji a dirty look.

"I'm not in love with the man, Renji, that'd be creepy," Rukia told him, rolling her eyes. "He's just attractive for a man of his age."

"Can we not talk about this?" Kaien asked.

"You're still my favorite, Kaien," Rukia told him, enveloping her hand in his.

Ichigo frowned to his self and looked at the ground. Rukia thought it was creepy to be in love with Mr. Jeagerjaques? Did that mean he was creepy? Ichigo quickly slapped his self, earning curious looks from the trio in front of him. He blushed and just shrugged at them.

"A mosquito," Ichigo lied.

"In the gym," Renji asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I guess so."

Renji laughed and shrugged. "Whatever, Ichigo."

Ichigo turned away from them so they wouldn't see the blush growing on his face. What was he thinking? He wasn't in love with Mr. Jeagerjaques! It was a silly crush!

"Oh, Mr. Jeagerjaques! You have really big muscles!"

Ichigo's eyes shot over to where he was. One girl was feeling the muscles on his arm as he flexed for her. Ichigo narrowed his eyes slightly, getting irritated. He just wanted to take that girl's arm and rip it off— Ichigo slapped his self again, however, this time mentally. Now what was he doing? Getting jealous? There wasn't anything to be jealous of, and yet he was getting jealous still! Ichigo ran a hand over his face and through his hair. He really did not like these feelings.

"Okay class, gather 'round!"

He looked back at Mr. Jeagerjaques, who was waving his arms to catch everyone's attention. His eyes locked onto Ichigo's and he swore that he saw his teacher check him out. Either that or Ichigo was getting ahead of himself, which was probably more likely.

Renji pushed Ichigo from behind and he stumbled towards Mr. Jeagerjaques. When everyone was gathered, he cleared his throat.

"Okay guys, we have two choices today. We can either play handball or badminton."

Everyone started to shout what to play all at once. Ichigo heard about an even amount of handball and badminton. He personally didn't want to play badminton, since he sucked. Ichigo could do almost any sport fairly well, except badminton. He had no hand-eye coordination whatsoever with a racquet.

Mr. Jeagerjaques rolled his eyes. "You can't all shout at once. Raise your hand for handball."

Ten people raised their hands.

"Badminton?"

Ten people raised their hands. A few girls twittered with laughter. Ichigo rolled his eyes. Because having an even amount of people who wanted to play each sport was just so funny. He pinched his self on the arm. Great, now he was thinking mean thoughts about girls that didn't even do anything. Jealousy is such an ugly emotion.

"Well, Ichigo, what do you want to play?"

Ichigo stared at Mr. Jeagerjaques. He was going to make him choose? Ichigo flushed slightly as all the attention was drawn to him.

"Uh, well…I don't really care. But I'm kind of bad at badminton."

"Well then badminton it is!"

There was a cheering from the people who wanted badminton and a booing from the people that didn't. Ichigo stared at Mr. Jeagerjaques with a dumbfounded look. He smirked.

"I'll go get the equipment. Come help me, Ichigo," he ordered, gesturing with his finger.

Before Ichigo could respond someone pushed passed him.

"I'll help you," a girl named Loly offered, looking eager.

"I will, too," another girl named Menoly, added.

Ichigo rolled his eyes, turning around. "Looks like you don't need my help."

"Ichigo—"

"I'll help," Renji cut in, an annoyed expression on his face, "Girls shouldn't be going down to there anyways."

Ichigo gave Renji a flat look for referring to him as a girl. He might be gay, but that did not mean he qualified as a girl.

"Sure," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, looking relieved for some reason. "Everyone else set up the nets."

He and Renji exited the gym to go to the storage room, while a bunch of guys took off towards the nets. A few minutes later they returned and the nets were set up. Everyone grabbed a racquet. Ichigo held his glumly and joined Renji, Rukia, and Kaien at one net.

"Rukia and me against you and Renji," Kaien announced, looking at Ichigo. "So stay on that side."

"Sure," Ichigo responded.

"What? Why am I stuck with him?" Renji complained with a grin on his face.

Ichigo lightly hit him with his racquet. "Shut up."

He laughed. "Don't worry. I'm good so I'll make up for your lack of ability. You serve first."

Ichigo rolled his eyes, but tossed the shuttlecock in the air and swung at it violently. The shuttle fell to the ground and he sighed, bending down to pick it up. Ichigo threw it up again. No luck.

"You can do it, Ichigo!" Rukia cheered from the other side.

Ichigo gave her a flat look and tried once more. He missed yet again. Ichigo scowled in frustration now. He threw it up and swung his racquet as hard as he could. Not only did it miss, but his racquet also went flying out of his hand. Ichigo gasped, twisting around to see it nearly hit Uryu. He turned to Ichigo, his face in shock. Ichigo grinned sheepishly. He shook his head at Ichigo.

"Be right back," Ichigo told Renji and jogged over to pick up his racquet.

"You almost knocked me!" Uryu complained, handing the racquet to Ichigo.

"I'm sorry," Ichigo apologized. "I don't know how to hit the shuttle."

"I'll show you."

Ichigo jumped and turned around to see Mr. Jeagerjaques, a grin on his face. He guessed that his teacher had witnessed his attempt at Uryu's murder. Mr. Jeagerjaques followed him back to the court. Rukia's face brightened immediately. Ichigo felt very self-conscious as Mr. Jeagerjaques took his hand and repositioned the racquet.

"Swing your arm like this," he instructed, slowly bringing Ichigo's arm up. "Don't make quick short strokes, make long ones."

"That doesn't exactly help me hit the shuttle," Ichigo muttered, copying the movement of his arm again.

"Just keep your eye on the shuttle and swing. Don't worry about hitting or missing."

Ichigo nodded and his teacher stepped away. Out of the corner of his eye, Ichigo saw Renji glaring at Mr. Jeagerjaques. He ignored it. Ichigo tossed the shuttle in the air and copied the movement Mr. Jeagerjaques had shown him, keeping his eye on the shuttle. It struck. Rukia and Kaien started clapping excitedly. It didn't make it across the net, but Ichigo had still hit it. Ichigo couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. He turned to thank Mr. Jeagerjaques, but girls had surrounded him again.

"Teach me how to hit, too," one of the more good looking girls, Cirucci, requested.

"You were doing it just fine five seconds ago," Mr. Jeagerjaques told her.

"But I'm not sure if I'm doing it right!"

"Me either," another girl said.

Ichigo scowled and picked up the shuttle again.

"Stupid girls," he muttered.

Ichigo swung the racquet hard, keeping his eye on the shuttle. It landed again and flew across the gym. Rukia went after it and hit it back to him. Ichigo slammed it again, letting out his frustration.

"You got better quick," Kaien commented, receiving one of Ichigo's hits. "You're not letting Renji get a hit at all!"

"I've got this one!" Renji called, lunging for the shuttle.

He hit it straight up and Ichigo ran over to rebound it. Renji moved his leg at the last possible second; tripping Ichigo and making him fall straight down onto his face. Ichigo landed on the gym floor with a loud smack and his racquet slid a few feet away. His wrists twanged painfully.

"Shit, are you okay?" Renji asked, hovering over him.

"I'm fine," Ichigo responded, putting his hands under his body to push his self up.

A stabbing pain went through his wrist and he quickly removed it from under him, falling down again. Renji laughed.

"What are you doing?"

"I think I hurt my wrist," Ichigo muttered, pushing his self back up with his other hand.

"You should probably go to the nurse," Rukia suggested, suddenly next to him.

"Ichigo, are you okay?" A new voice asked, sounding slightly amused and slightly worried.

"I'm fine, Mr. Jeagerjaques. I just hurt my wrist."

Mr. Jeagerjaques took Ichigo's injured hand and gently touched it. His touch sent a tingling sensation through his arm and Ichigo wanted to rip it away, but he kept his self under control.

Mr. Jeagerjaques frowned. "It might be sprained, so why don't you go to the nurse."

"Okay," Ichigo responded. "I'll go now."

"But Ichigo, can you stop by my room before you go home? I need to…talk to you about something," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, a hint of a smile on his face.

Rukia caught eye contact with him and wagged her eyebrows. Ichigo rolled his eyes at her. But part of him was excited.

"Sure, I'll see you later then," Ichigo told him, trying to keep his expression nonchalant. "I'm going to go to the nurse now then…"

"See ya."

"Mr. Jeagerjaques! I think I got it! Watch me," a girl cried from the other side of the room.

"Sure!" Mr. Jeagerjaques responded.

He did a mini eye roll at Ichigo before turning around and jogging over to the girl. Ichigo smiled slightly to his self as he turned and headed back to the changing room.

* * *

**A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter sixteen. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	17. Chapter 17: Misunderstandings

"I'm coming in," Ichigo said, opening the door to Mr. Jeagerjaques' classroom.

No reply came and Ichigo looked towards his teacher's desk. He wasn't there. Ichigo frowned in confusion. Hadn't he told Ichigo that he needed to talk to him?

Ichigo heard laughter from the supply room, so he headed over to it. Just as he was about to enter, a girl appeared in front of him. Her shocked expression must have mimicked his.

"Oh, excuse me," she said, blinking and walking by him.

Ichigo turned around and watched her exit the room. What was she doing in Mr. Jeagerjaques' supply closet? Ichigo faced the supply room again and walked into it. Mr. Jeagerjaques was standing by the counter, fixing his shirt. It felt like a brick had dropped into Ichigo's gut.

He noticed Ichigo and grinned, but his grin quickly went away. "What's wrong?"

"What were you doing?" Ichigo demanded, sounding more accusing than he had meant to.

"What do you? Oh," he said, dropping his tie. "Do you mean what was I doing with Momo?"

Ichigo nodded, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Mr. Jeagerjaques laughed. "What do you think we were doing?"

Why was he laughing? Wasn't it obvious? They were both in the supply room and he was fixing his shirt. When Ichigo didn't reply, Mr. Jeagerjaques shook his head and sighed.

"We weren't doing anything bad, Ichigo," he informed him. "I was helping her with her literature project."

He pointed to the papers and books laid out upon the counter.

"Why were you fixing your shirt then?"

"Because it was messed up," he responded, raising an eyebrow.

Ichigo blushed instantly. What was he thinking? This was school. Mr. Jeagerjaques wouldn't be making out or anything with students in the school. Ichigo was just letting his jealousy get the best of him again. He looked at the floor and clenched his hands. It was Mr. Jeagerjaques' fault for making him feel this way. If he treated Ichigo like he treated every other student, Ichigo wouldn't have these unchecked emotions. Ichigo felt something hard on his shoulder and he jumped.

"Were you jealous?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, his jaw moving on Ichigo's shoulder when he talked.

"No." Ichigo lied, turning his head away from his teacher's.

He chuckled and lifted his head off Ichigo's shoulder. "You're cute, Ichigo."

Ichigo's face grew hotter and he frowned at Mr. Jeagerjaques. "Mr. Jeagerjaques, don't say stuff like that."

"Why not," he responded, going back over to the counter.

"We are in school. You are a teacher. I am a student."

Mr. Jeagerjaques turned around and looked at him with a sad expression. "I thought we had something special?"

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. This is what he didn't like about Mr. Jeagerjaques. When he complements Ichigo, he doesn't know whether his teacher is joking or not, because he always says something jokingly afterwards.

Ichigo sighed. "What do you want?"

"Oh yeah," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, going over to one of the cupboards on the other side of the room.

He began to shuffle through some stuff and finally pulled out a small paper bag. Mr. Jeagerjaques tossed it to him.

"You left your shirt at my house."

Ichigo grabbed the bad and looked inside. Sure enough, his shirt was in there. It was folded and clean, too.

"Um, thanks."

"No problem."

"Okay, well, I've got to go him now," Ichigo told him, a little reluctant.

"Already?"

Ichigo's heart skipped a beat. Did that mean he didn't want him to go home either? Ichigo cursed his self silently. Why today of all days did Renji want to go to dinner?

Ichigo sighed. "Yeah, I'm going to dinner with Renji in a little while."

"Oh," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded simply. "I didn't know you two were dating."

"What?" Ichigo cried, making Mr. Jeagerjaques jump. "We aren't dating!"

Mr. Jeagerjaques turned to look at Ichigo, a confused expression on his face. "You're not?"

"We are going to eat as friends."

Mr. Jeagerjaques suddenly started laughing. "Poor Renji."

"What? Why?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques shook his head. "You really are cute, Ichigo, cute, but dense."

"Well you're cute, but a jerk!" Ichigo responded, freezing when he realized what he had said.

Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked. "I'm cute, huh?"

Ichigo blushed. "Never mind. I meant you're really ugly!"

"Sure you did," he said with a laugh.

"I did! Now goodbye!"

"Be careful," he called after Ichigo, still laughing.

Ichigo sped out of the room, his face burning. He couldn't believe he had just said that. It was so embarrassing! Did his teacher think he had feelings for him now? Did his teacher have feelings for him? Ichigo shook his head violently. He was getting ahead of himself. Ichigo needed to get home and get ready to go to dinner with Renji.

The walk home was slow. When he finally made it to his house, Ichigo wasn't in the best of moods. He was so used to having Mr. Jeagerjaques drive him home that he wasn't used to walking long distances.

The door was locked so Ichigo reached for the spare key. This time it was where it should have been, and he opened the door and went in, sticking the key in his pocket. The phone started ringing and Ichigo smirked, perfect timing. Ichigo went into the kitchen and quickly grabbed the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Renji."

"Hi," Ichigo responded, heading towards his room. "What's up?"

"So you care if we eat a late dinner? We can't get in until eight."

"That's fine with me," Ichigo responded, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Where was Renji planning on taking him? Was it somewhere fancy? Ichigo hoped it wasn't. That would cost a lot…

"Okay, so I'll pick you up at like seven thirty."

"You're driving?" Ichigo asked skeptically. "I'm not so sure I want to go now."

Renji laughed. "Hey! I'm a good driver!"

Ichigo snorted, rolling his eyes. "That's why you've been in two car crashes over the past six months?"

"I just have bad luck," he responded, amusement in his voice.

"Whatever. See you then," Ichigo told him. "I'll be writing my will in the meantime."

"You're such a bummer, Ichigo," he responded with a sigh.

"I'm joking," Ichigo said with a laugh.

He laughed, too. "I know."

"Bye."

"See you later."

He hit the end button on the phone and threw it onto his bed. Ichigo frowned. Now he didn't have anything to do. He could have stayed with Mr. Jeagerjaques at school. What a waste…

The television was calling for his attention, so he went into the living room and turned it on. It was on the music video channel. Ichigo shrugged and kept it there. He plopped onto the couch and settled into a more comfortable position.

Ichigo woke up with a start. He checked the clock to see what time it was. Two and a half hours had passed. It was now 4:30. Ichigo sighed and went back to his room and to his dresser. Ichigo grabbed a pair of light blue jeans and a black shirt. He hoped they didn't need to dress fancy for the restaurant. Ichigo went into the bathroom and took a quick shower before changing into the clothes he had picked out. He towel dried his hair before heading back into his room.

Ichigo picked up his cell phone and opened it to see if anyone had texted him. To his surprise, there were ten missed calls from a number he didn't recognize. Ichigo jumped when his phone suddenly went off. It was the same unknown number that had called before.

Ichigo hesitated a moment before answering it. "Hel—"

"Why haven't you been answering your phone?" An irritated voice demanded.

Ichigo blinked in shock. Who was this guy? "Um, I think you have the wrong number—"

"Ichigo, its Grimmjow."

"Mr. Jeagerjaques?"

"Yeah," he responded. "But I told you to call me Grimmjow."

"Sorry," Ichigo apologized. "But how did you get my number?"

"I asked Rukia for it," he told Ichigo.

Ichigo sighed. It had to be Rukia, didn't it? He was in for some questioning now.

"Why did you need my phone number?"

"I wanted to know where you were going for dinner. Is it downtown?"

"I don't know," Ichigo responded. "Why?"

"Because that's our territory."

"I don't own any territory," Ichigo said, confused.

Mr. Jeagerjaques laughed, but turned serious again. "Gang territory."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Ichigo licked his lips. "What does that have to do with me?"

"It will be dangerous for you there," he told Ichigo.

"Why? I didn't even do anything!"

Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed. "I know you didn't. I got you caught up in this. But your still involved, Ichigo. Whether you want to be or not isn't you decision."

"So I can't even go downtown without worrying about being attacked or whatever they want to do?" Ichigo demanded with his eyes wide.

"During the day time, sure, since there are people around, but I'm more worried about nights…like tonight."

"Well we are only going to eat," Ichigo told him.

"But still…"

Ichigo smiled slightly. "Are you worried about me, Mr. Jeagerjaques?"

"Yeah, I am."

Ichigo blinked in shock. He wasn't expecting a truthful remark, let alone a serious one. "Oh, um, thank you?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed. "Just promise me you will have your phone at all times. And stay with Renji."

"Promise," Ichigo told him. "You don't really think something will happen, do you?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques laughed. "No. But just in case."

"Okay."

"And make sure you actually answer your phone."

Now it was Ichigo's turn to laugh. "Okay."

"Talk to you later then."

"Bye, Mr. Jeagerjaques."

"Ichigo?"

"Yeah?"

"Have fun on your date."

"It's not—," Ichigo started, but he heard a click and knew his teacher had hung up.

Ichigo scowled, tossing the phone onto the bed. Stupid Mr. Jeagerjaques.

* * *

**A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter seventeen. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	18. Chapter 18: Dinner

The doorbell rang and Ichigo immediately jumped up from his computer chair. Ichigo checked his reflection once before hurrying downstairs. He held his breath for a moment before opening the door. Hopefully Renji was dressed casually too. Renji knocked again, so Ichigo opened the door. To his relief, Renji was dressed in casual clothes as well. Ichigo sighed in relief.

"You ready?" Renji asked with a grin.

"Yep," Ichigo responded, stepping out and shutting the door behind him.

Together they made their way down to the car. Ichigo raised an eyebrow at the Subaru Outback.

Renji laughed. "My mom's car, remember?"

"She needs a new one," Ichigo told him, getting in the passenger's side.

Renji slid into the driver's seat and shrugged. "I think it's fine."

He started the engine and quickly pulled out of Ichigo's driveway, barely checking to see if anyone was coming. Ichigo nervously looked out the window. Driving with Renji definitely wasn't one of his favorite things to do. Renji was a very reckless driver. He turned on the radio and flipped through the stations, barely paying attention to the road.

"The road, Renji," Ichigo snapped, batting his hand away from the radio. "Pay attention to the road!"

He laughed. "Chill, I can drive fine."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Right. Where are we going anyways?"

"A place downtown," Renji responded vaguely.

Ichigo immediately thought of Mr. Jeagerjaques' warning. It felt like he was foreshadowing something. Ichigo quickly shook the thought out of his head. It wasn't like anything could happen inside a restaurant.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Ichigo relaxed completely. It was brightly lit and the parking lot was right next to the building. They even got the parking place closest to the building.

Renji shut off the car and quickly got out. Ichigo unbuckled his self and opened the door. There was a thump and a grunt. Ichigo looked out the window and noticed Renji standing there, rubbing his side.

"What are you doing?" Ichigo asked, waiting for him to move back a few steps before opening his door fully.

"I was going to open the door for you," he told Ichigo.

Ichigo laughed. "There's no need. I can do it myself."

Renji frowned at him. Ichigo returned his look.

"You don't…"

"Don't what?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, never mind," he said with a sigh. "I should have known."

"Should have known what?" Ichigo demanded, frowning deeper.

Renji put his arm around Ichigo's shoulder. "Forget about it."

"I want to know now."

"Too bad."

Ichigo fake growled at him. Renji poked him in the side.

"What are you? A tiger?"

Ichigo ignored him and he continued poking him.

"Stop poking me, Mr. Jeag—," Ichigo cut his self off when he realized what he had said.

Ichigo couldn't believe he had just said Mr. Jeagerjaques' name and in front of Renji! He probably had Rukia's idea in his head, too.

Renji raised his eyebrows. "Mr. Jeagerjaques?"

Ichigo blushed. "Sorry. I meant Renji."

Renji's mouth turned down slightly and he sighed again. "I knew it."

"Knew what?"

"Sorry, talking to myself," Renji said with a wink.

"Renji!"

He laughed and led Ichigo to the entrance of the diner. It seemed like a pretty casual place. Ichigo didn't know what Mr. Jeagerjaques was thinking when he said this was a date. It was two friends going out to dinner together.

"Name?" A young man dressed in a suit asked almost as soon as they had entered.

"Renji and Ichigo," Renji told him.

The man looked down at a piece of paper and after a moment he nodded. "Follow me."

"You had to make reservations at a place like this?" Ichigo asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Believe it or not, this place is really popular."

Ichigo took in the amount of people that were in the diner. Every booth and table was filled. Renji noticed him looking around and smirked.

"Told you."

"Shut up."

The waiter stopped at their table and Renji and Ichigo took their seats, opposite of each other.

"Can I start you off with something to drink?"

"Coke," Renji and Ichigo responded at the same time.

"Jinx! You owe me a coke!" Ichigo said quickly.

"Sure. But you pay for dinner."

Ichigo frowned. "That's not fair."

Renji shrugged. "For what you did, I think it's fair."

"What did I do?" Ichigo asked.

Renji sighed, shaking his head. "Never mind."

Ichigo glared at him. "What's up with all the 'never minds', Renji?"

He sighed. "Do you think this is a date?"

Ichigo shook his head quickly. "Not at all."

Renji smirked. Ichigo's mouth opened a little when he realized what he was trying to imply.

"Wait. Did you mean for this to be a date?"

Renji smirked wider. "Maybe."

"Oh," Ichigo responded, staring at him. "Crap. Renji, I'm sorry—"

He held up his hand. "Save it. I figured you thought we were just going out as friends. I was just trying to be a jerk with trying to let you know what I thought. But I got it now."

"I feel bad though," Ichigo responded. "I didn't know…you liked me like that."

Renji laughed. "Wait a second. Don't think I like you like that."

Ichigo looked at him curiously. "What?"

He shrugged. "I thought I might. That's why I took you out to dinner."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "But you don't…"

Renji snorted. "Even if I found out I did, it wouldn't matter."

"Why?"

"You're stupid lover boy…well man."

Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't have a lover."

Renji rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. Do you think I don't know?"

"Don't know what?"

"You and that teacher."

"Mr. Jeagerjaques? Whoa, no!" Ichigo responded, raising his hands. "There's nothing going on between us!"

Renji rolled his eyes again. "Maybe not, but it's obvious you like him."

"I don't!" Ichigo denied.

"You stare at him all the time in class."

Ichigo felt his face heat up and he looked down. "I do not."

Renji shook his head. "Out of all the people you could like, it had to be a teacher, huh? And not even a good teacher. There's something strange about that guy. Or dangerous. And I don't like how he looks at you either."

Ichigo snapped his head up to look at Renji. How good of an intuition could one person have? He got it straight on that he liked Mr. Jeagerjaques, but he even thought something was dangerous about him? That was crazy. That was… Wait, what did Renji say?

"What do you mean how he looks at me?" Ichigo questioned, his heartbeat increasing slightly.

Renji scowled. "I don't know how to describe it. Sometimes it's like he's worried…sometimes like a mother looking at her child. And sometimes it's like how you look at him."

Ichigo stared at Renji, his eyes wide. He returned Ichigo's stare, his eyes slightly narrowed.

"There's something up with you two. It may not be romantically, but there's something," he accused.

Ichigo forced out a laugh. "No, there's nothing going on between us."

"Ichigo," Renji started seriously, "do you really plan on lying to your best friend?"

Ichigo's face fell at once. He was right. Ichigo didn't want to lie, but it wasn't like he could exactly tell him either.

"Even after you thought this wasn't a date when I thought it was?" Renji added, heaving a loud huff of air. "I see how it is."

Ichigo couldn't help a smirk spreading onto his face. "I said I was sorry about that."

Renji rolled his eyes. "You're lucky I'm not head over heels for you. 'Cause then this would suck completely."

"Do you like me or not?" Ichigo demanded, crossing his arms. "How come you can't give me a yes or no answer?"

"Because, like I said, it doesn't matter if I do or not."

"How would you know?"

"Would you go out with me if said I did?" Renji asked.

Ichigo hesitated, biting his lip. "Um…"

"There you go."

"But—"

Renji held up his hand. "I know there isn't a way for you to like me right now. So that's why I'm going to stop myself from liking you before I can really start to."

"How?"

"You tell me you're in love with him."

Ichigo blushed again. "I'm not in love—"

Renji raised his eyebrow. "I'm not stupid, Ichigo. Now say it. Otherwise I'm going to fall completely in love with you and ruin all your chances with any boy until you love me back."

Ichigo scowled at him. "Ok."

Renji smirked. "I'm waiting."

Ichigo took a deep breath. He didn't want to admit this, not even to himself. But he didn't want to lead Renji on. He was Ichigo's best friend. And he didn't want to lose him.

"I'm…," Ichigo stopped, looking down at his lap.

"Say it. Look at me."

Ichigo looked up at Renji and stared him straight in the eye. "I'm in love with Grimmjow Jeagerjaques."

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter eighteen. Poor Renji, but at least Ichigo has finally admitted that he likes Grimmjow. He's such a dense person. Even in the anime and manga he's still pretty dense. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	19. Chapter 19: Car Issues

"You know it's illegal…right?"

He looked up from his dinner at Renji, who was frowning at him. Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"Do I look stupid?"

Renji smirked. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I know it's illegal, Renji. Just because I like—"

"Love."

"— Like," Ichigo repeated more forcefully, "him, doesn't mean I will be romantically involved with him."

"You've admitted you love him!"

"It's something I will never repeat again, Renji," Ichigo told him, looking back down at his food and picking up a piece of steak and putting it in his mouth.

"Even when you confess," he responded, sounding confused.

Ichigo nearly choked on the steak. He swallowed and looked at Renji, his eyes wide. "I'm not going to confess to him!"

Renji looked at him bewildered. "Why?"

"Because," Ichigo said, chewing on his lip.

"Because why?"

"It's illegal, Renji," Ichigo told him, looking at his lap. "Not only is it illegal, people think it's disgusting. Even just talking about it, people get these disgusted looks on their faces."

"That's why? You won't confess because people will think you are disgusting?"

Ichigo looked back up at Renji, surprised by his angry tone. Renji stared at him, his mouth twisted into a small scowl.

"It's not only that," Ichigo responded, casting his eyes down again. "He could lose his job. And I'd be in trouble, too."

Renji scoffed. "So what?"

Ichigo stared at Renji in surprise. Wasn't he the one who said in the beginning of the year that it was creepy for a student to like a teacher?

"If you really love someone, Ichigo, you wouldn't care about any of those things," he informed Ichigo, his mouth pressed into a firm, straight line. "There's nothing wrong with two people being in love! In a year, you won't even be a student anymore. And there isn't that big of an age difference between the two of you."

Ichigo's mouth was slightly open now. Renji clucked his tongue impatiently.

"Why do you care?" Ichigo managed to ask, still in slight shock by his outburst.

"Because, Ichigo," Renji started with a sigh. "You're my best friend. I care about you a lot, in a friend way," he added quickly.

Ichigo laughed. "Yeah, we've been over that."

"Anyways, I want you to be happy. And if being with that teacher is what will make you happy, I'm going to support it, even if I don't like it. And if you say you can't be with him, I'm going to force you to be with him because I know that's what you want."

Ichigo suddenly felt like crying. His eyes were beginning to water, so he blinked rapidly to keep any tears from spilling over. Ichigo swallowed the lump in his throat. Renji was too sweet. He cared about Ichigo far too much, more than Ichigo deserved from him. Ichigo wasn't nearly as kind to him. Like the time he had left Renji all alone at the fair. And when he called to check up on Ichigo when he was worried, Ichigo had just blown him off pretty much. Ichigo was the hugest asshole ever.

"Whoa. Ichigo, what's wrong?" Renji asked, leaning forwards. "Why are you crying?"

Ichigo shook his head. "I'm not…"

How could Renji have figured out so many of Ichigo's fears about liking Mr. Jeagerjaques so quickly? Ichigo hadn't even mentioned anything about Mr. Jeagerjaques at all, and yet Renji managed to figure out his deepest secret. Even after all that Ichigo had done to him…he still wanted to help him. Ichigo rubbed his eyes and then reached his hand across the table, grabbing Renji's. He squeezed it and Renji returned the squeeze.

Ichigo swallowed the lump in his throat again and looked up at Renji. "Thank you, Renji."

"You're welcome," he responded, a warm smile on his face.

"You're the best friend anyone could ever have," Ichigo told him, giving him a small smile. "And I'm sorry for ditching you that time at the fair, and when you called because you were worried. And—"

Renji laughed, cutting Ichigo off. "Ichigo, we're best friends. Not lovers. You're making me feel like we are a couple that are making up after a huge fight."

Ichigo chuckled, pulling his hand away. "I guess you are right."

Renji nodded. "And since we are speaking of couples again, good luck with that teacher."

"He has a name you know," Ichigo responded, frowning slightly.

"I don't like him for taking you away from me, so I won't call him by his name," Renji responded, rolling his eyes.

"Taking me from you?" Ichigo echoed.

"You know. If you two start dating or something, I'm sure you won't have time for poor, old Renji."

Ichigo shook his head frantically. "I'll always make time for you and Rukia!"

"You promise?"

"Promise!"

Renji laughed. "Good. And while you're at it, you can help me with something."

"Anything," Ichigo told him.

"You have to help me find a girlfriend," Renji said with a wink.

Ichigo grinned. "Sounds good."

Renji returned his grin. Ichigo suddenly felt at ease. Like all his worries about liking Mr. Jeagerjaques were gone. He could actually say that he loved him and nothing in his mind made him want to deny it. Ichigo could say it.

"I love Mr. Jeagerjaques," Ichigo said aloud.

Renji raised an eyebrow. "I know…"

"I love him," Ichigo repeated smiling. "I actually love him, out of all people."

Renji pursed his lips. "Are you okay?"

Ichigo laughed and nodded. "I'm fine! After talking to you, it feels like a weight had been lifted off of me. It feels nice."

"Hmm, maybe I should become a counselor then…"

Ichigo froze, staring at Renji. Him? A counselor? Ichigo could just imagine the poor person he was counseling now. Renji would ask what was wrong, and the person would reply about something in their life that was bad, and Renji would go, "Oh…Sucks to be you."

Ichigo snickered. It was so him. Renji raised an eyebrow.

"I hope you aren't imagining me as a counselor right now," he said in a slightly offended tone.

"Nah," Ichigo lied, smiling again.

They finished their dinners and had a quick desert. The waiter brought the check and, due to Renji's pestering, Ichigo ended up paying for dinner. Renji paid for drinks.

"I thought this was supposed to be a date," Ichigo muttered as they exited the diner.

"It was supposed to be, but you didn't think that at first, so it turned into a dinner among friends," Renji responded.

"I would have preferred it to be a date if I knew I would have to pay for dinner if it wasn't," Ichigo told him.

Renji laughed. "Sucks for you."

They rounded the corner to where the car was parked. Renji suddenly stopped and Ichigo ran into his back. Ichigo rubbed his nose and looked around him to see what the problem was.

"Renji…where's the car?"

Renji looked at him, shock on his face. "We parked here, didn't we?"

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah, but where's the car?"

"I don't know! Holy shit. Did it get stolen?" Renji asked his voice panicky. "Shit, my mom is going to kill me!"

"How could it have been stolen? There are tons of people around!" Ichigo reasoned rationally. "Someone would have noticed. You have the keys, right?"

"Yeah, I—"

"Hey!" A loud, disgruntled voice shouted from behind them.

Ichigo jumped, twisting around quickly to see who it was. An old man in a black suit was walking towards them. Renji stepped in front of Ichigo in a protective manner. Ichigo stared at him curiously.

"Yeah?" Renji called to the man.

"Are you the owner of the Subaru Outback?"

Renji nodded in response.

"Take a look at that sign behind you," the man ordered.

Ichigo turned to see the sign he was pointing to. In large, red letters were the words: 'No parking. Violators will be towed.' Ichigo heard Renji groan. He rolled his eyes. It was so like Renji to park in a no parking spot.

"Lucky for you and your friend, the towing place is only down the block," the man told them, smirking slightly.

"Yeah," Renji muttered. "Let's go get it then."

Ichigo sighed and started following behind Renji. They left the parking lot of the diner and got onto the brightly lit street.

"Smart move," Ichigo commented, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Shut up," Renji responded, rolling his eyes. "You didn't see it either, smart ass."

Ichigo scowled at him. "I wasn't the one driving."

"Only adds to my point," Renji said with a smirk.

Ichigo sighed, letting the subject drop. They were close enough to the towing station. If it had been a few miles, Ichigo would have been angry. But it was a nice night for a walk anyways.

As they left the main street, it was considerably darker. Now the only light they had were the streetlights that were spread very far apart. There were patches of dark in-between each set of lights. Ichigo moved close to Renji, gripping the back of his shirt.

"What's the matter? Scared?" Renji asked in a joking tone.

Ichigo scowled at him. "No."

"Sure."

They continued down the street in silence. Ichigo kept his eyes peeled. Mr. Jeagerjaques' warning was back in his head again. Ichigo clutched Renji's shirt tighter. They were almost at the station now. A movement to Ichigo's left caught his eye and he froze, staring at the place where he had seen the motion. Renji stopped, looking over his shoulder at Ichigo curiously.

"What's up?" Renji asked.

"Did you see something move over there?" Ichigo whispered, pointing.

Renji scrunched his face up and watched the area for a few moments before shrugging. "Nothing."

"You sure?"

"Paranoid much?" Renji laughed. "Come on, let's go."

He grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled Ichigo in front of him. Renji began to push Ichigo down the street in a forceful manner. Ichigo had to stay focused on his feet in order to not lose his balance. When he looked up again, Ichigo realized they were at the towing station. Relief swept through him. Mr. Jeagerjaques was just being silly. No one was going to attack him in the middle of town.

Renji and Ichigo entered the towing station. There were only three people in there. A man at the counter, that was on the phone, and two men in the corner, their backs turned to them as they read the papers posted on a billboard.

"You can wait here," Renji said, pointing to a chair by the door. "I'll get my car issue settled."

Ichigo nodded and took a seat on the chair as Renji went to talk to the man at the counter. The man at the counter held up a finger, signaling Renji to stay quiet while he was on the phone. After a few moments the man hung up the phone and began talking to Renji.

Ichigo's gaze wandered to the two men in the corner. They both looked pretty, young, and puff. Ichigo smirked slightly. Was every guy buff these days? Ichigo glanced back at Renji. He was average muscled, like Mr. Jeagerjaques. But both men were still very strong.

Renji turned to Ichigo with a frown. "Ichigo!"

Ichigo was still focused on the two men and didn't realize Renji was calling him.

"Oh look, it's Mr. Jeagerjaques!"

Ichigo's head snapped in the direction of Renji. He grinned at Ichigo and Ichigo felt his self blush.

"Do you have any money on you? I'm a few dollars short of—"

The rest of what he said, Ichigo didn't catch. He was too busy staring at the two men, who had now turned around and were looking at him. Ichigo's mouth went dry as he saw one of them smirk. He said something to the other guy and a flash of realization spread across his face. Ichigo quickly stood up, walking towards Renji.

"Here," Ichigo said, quickly pulling a ten out of his pocket and giving it to the man. "Keep the change."

"Alright, you're free to go then," the man said, taking the ten. "Your car is in the back of the lot, by the dumpster."

Ichigo grabbed Renji's arm and began to quickly drag him out of the store. He felt like he was going to be sick. His heart was pumping furiously and his hands were sweaty and shaking. Ichigo pulled on Renji with urgency, trying to make him go faster.

"What's the matter?" Renji asked, laughing slightly. "That guy wasn't that scary."

It wasn't the guy at the counter Ichigo was worried about. Ichigo looked over his shoulder and saw the other two guys exiting the building, heading towards them. He pulled out his phone, starting a new text message. Ichigo quickly tapped away at his phone, his hand shaking, making it hard to click on the right letters. When Ichigo finished he closed his phone, sticking it in his pocket.

Ichigo looked over his shoulder again. The two men were still there. The same two guys that Mr. Jeagerjaques had beat up at the fair.

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter nineteen. I wish people were more like Renji, when it comes to being rejected by a friend. It would make things so much easier. Poor Ichi just can't stay out of trouble. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	20. Chapter 20: Just in Time

The two thugs were a hundred feet behind them. Ichigo figured if Renji and he kept a brisk pace, they would be able to make it to the car before the two thugs caught up with them. And once they were in the car they could lock the doors and Ichigo could call the cops, or Mr. Jeagerjaques. But Ichigo was still extremely paranoid. He wanted to get to the car as quickly as possible.

"Hurry up, Renji," Ichigo begged, out of breath. "Please."

"What's wrong?" Renji asked, serious now. "Ichigo?"

Ichigo glanced at Renji, who looked extremely worried. He glanced over his shoulder and a surprised look passed over his face. Ichigo followed his gaze and saw the two men now running towards them.

"Run!" Ichigo screamed, grabbing Renji's hand and bolting down the aisle of cars.

Renji stumbled after Ichigo, looking behind him. Eventually he faced the front again, sprinting by Ichigo's side.

"What's wrong? Who are they?"

"I'll explain later, we just need to get away as soon as possible—"

Ichigo stopped abruptly, making Renji knock into him, sending Ichigo sprawling onto the ground. He landed hard and smacked his head against the hard dirt. Ichigo groaned and pushed his self off the ground. When Ichigo looked up, he came face-to-face with two more men, these two were unfamiliar.

"Hey, let go of me!" Ichigo heard Renji demand.

Ichigo's head snapped towards him and he saw the two thugs from before holding onto Renji's arms tightly.

"Let him go!" Ichigo demanded. "He doesn't have anything to do with this!"

"He knows Grimmjow." Ichigo noticed the man who was holding him, was the man he had punched in the face back in the woods at the fair, responded. "That's enough reason."

A pair of rough hands on Ichigo's shoulder yanked him from the ground and forced him to his feet. Ichigo broke out from under them and ran towards Renji, only to be tackled down from behind. The teen groaned in frustration when his head once again slammed down on the hard dirt. He really needed to think before he acted.

"You're a feisty one, huh," the man pinning Ichigo down commented. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Get off him!" Ichigo heard Renji shout. "Who are you guys?"

"Shut up," one of the men responded to him.

"No! You're hurting him!"

Ichigo heard the sound of a fist being slammed into a gut and someone groaned. His heart skipped a beat.

"I hope you think before you talk now," the same man who had spoken before said.

The man pinning Ichigo to the ground rolled off him and there was a pressure on his back and Ichigo winced, hearing the scuff of dirt. When the man was finally standing up, he grabbed Ichigo's hair and forced him to his feet.

"You take the girlie one and I'll take the red head brat, Ryuuji," the one holding Ichigo offered.

"Good idea, Keisuke."

So the person Ichigo had punched before was named Ryuuji. Good to know.

"I think he owes me an apology anyways," Ryuuji continued, gesturing Keisuke closer to him.

Ichigo was forced into Ryuuji's arms as Renji was shoved to Keisuke. Before Ryuuji had a good grasp on Ichigo, Renji suddenly swung his fist, hitting Ryuuji square in the face. With his other hand, Renji quickly brought his fist into Keisuke's face. Keisuke fell to the ground and didn't move. Ichigo blinked in amazement. He didn't know Renji could fight

"Ichigo, behind you!" Renji shouted, his eyes widening slightly in surprise.

Ichigo twisted his body around, only to see a fist coming straight for him. He gasped, twisting again to avoid it. Ryuuji scowled at him, his arm outstretched. Before Ichigo knew what he was doing, Ichigo kicked him where the sun didn't shine. Ryuuji groaned and hunched over. Renji immediately grabbed Ichigo's wrist, squeezing it painfully. He gasped as Renji pulled him away from Keisuke and Ryuuji. Ichigo stumbled over his own feet, but managed to quickly gain his balance. Renji ran forwards and suddenly Ichigo was tugged backwards. Ichigo cried out from the pain of his wrist being yanked back, while Renji was still trying to pull forwards. Renji paused and turned back with a scowl.

"Behind you!" Ichigo gasped, pointing at one of the unfamiliar men who had suddenly appeared behind Renji.

Renji let go of Ichigo's wrist and twisting on his heel, brought his fist flying into the other man's face. Ichigo watched in amazement, until realized the other man from the fair still had a grip on him. He felt him pull on his hair and Ichigo twisted his head, biting his arm. The man cried out in shock and ripped his arm away from Ichigo's face, releasing his hair. Ichigo noticed a pile of tires behind the man, so he shoved him in the chest with all the force he could muster. Luckily it was enough to make him take a few steps back and topple over the tires.

Ichigo felt Renji's hand at his wrist again. "Run!"

Together they booked it down the aisle of cars again. Ichigo could see Renji's car now. It was only about twenty more cars down. And Ichigo didn't hear any more footsteps behind them. They could make it! The pair were ten cars away when suddenly a bat came swinging out of nowhere. Ichigo watched in horror as it made contact with Renji's head. He screamed as Renji crumpled to the ground instantly.

"Renji!" Ichigo screamed, dropping to his knees beside him

He didn't reply. Ichigo grabbed his arm and lifted if up. When he let go it fell to the ground limply.

Tears sprung in his eyes. "Renji! Wake up!"

"He's out cold, girlie."

Ichigo looked up and saw Ryuuji hovering over him, a smirk on his face. A baseball bat was resting across his shoulders. Ichigo glared at him angrily.

"Why did you do that?" Ichigo cried, clenching his fists.

"Just making sure there weren't any distractions," he told Ichigo. "That guy was in the way."

"He's my best friend!" Ichigo shouted, now pushing his self to his feet. "I'm going to kill you!"

Ryuuji laughed. "Okay."

He suddenly reached out and grabbed the front of Ichigo's shirt, pulling Ichigo closer to him. Ichigo cringed at the proximity between them. He could smell the man's deodorant and cologne. The thug lowered his head down.

"I believe I still owe you from last time…"

Ichigo was about to ask him what he was talking about, when his fist struck the side of Ichigo's head. He stumbled backwards from the force. Ichigo raised a hand to his cheek, which throbbed painfully. Shock was written all over his face. And before Ichigo could form a cohesive thought, he was struck again in the same spot. Ichigo cried out, stumbling backwards, hitting a car and falling onto the hood. Ryuuji appeared before Ichigo. He rest a hand on Ichigo's stomach, making sure the teen couldn't move.

"How does it feel to be punched?"

"I punched you once," Ichigo responded, shoving the man's hand off his stomach. "That's hardly fair."

Ryuuji narrowed his eyes. "You don't realize you are dealing with a gang here, do you? There's nothing 'fair' about this. But you also kicked me…"

"Ugh."

Both Ichigo's and Ryuuji's attention snapped to Renji, who was pushing himself into a sitting position. Relief washed through Ichigo. He was okay!

"Do I have to bash him over the head again?" Ryuuji groaned, turning around.

Ichigo seized the opportunity to take advantage of the man. He grabbed the baseball bat from Ryuuji's shoulder and easily slid it out of the man's grasp. Ryuuji turned in surprise and without any hesitation Ichigo struck him in the head. He tottered on his feet for a second, but didn't pass out. Ichigo stared in horror as he scowled at him. What had he just done? Ichigo changed his gaze of horror from the man to the bat. Had he really just hit him in the head with a bat?

"You," the man growled.

It was either fight or be harmed. Ichigo swung the bat back for a second hit, but the man quickly grabbed his forearm, twisting it painfully. He cried out, his fingers straightening from the pain. The bat fell to the ground.

"You just keep digging yourself a deeper grave, don't you?" Ryuuji growled, still twisting Ichigo's wrist.

"Stop," Ichigo begged, trying to twist his body with his wrist so it wouldn't snap. "Oh my god, please, stop!"

Ryuuji stopped, dropping Ichigo's wrist. Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief until he realized the man had picked up the baseball bat. He raised it high above his head. Ichigo froze, staring at the man with his mouth wide open. He wouldn't…would he? Ichigo's question was answered when he suddenly swung the bat down. He raised his arms to cover his head. There was the sickening sound of wood hitting bone, but no pain. Ichigo's eyes shot open to see a tan, muscled arm stopping the bat inches from his head.

"Sorry I'm late," a smooth voice apologized.

Ichigo watched as the arm blocking the bat from him turned. The hand attached to the arm gripped the bat, yanking it from Ryuuji's hand. Ryuuji had an expression of mixed fear and anger on. Ichigo knew who was behind him. The bat was pulled over his head and Ichigo was suddenly shoved to the left. Ichigo kept his balance, staggering only for a moment. He ignored the cry of pain behind him and made for Renji, who was now leaning against a car, holding his head. After a step, Ichigo was overcome with dizziness. Ichigo swayed for a moment, before fixing his self and continuing over to Renji.

"Are you okay?" Ichigo asked in a breathless whisper.

Renji looked up at him and winced slightly. "Ow. I'm okay. What the hell is happening, Ichigo? Who the hell—"

"Save the questions for later," Ichigo ordered, his head throbbing from just talking. "I really don't feel like explaining anything right now."

There was silence behind them now and Ichigo heard footsteps approaching. Renji looked behind Ichigo and his expression became so shocked Ichigo whipped around quickly, expecting to see more thugs. Mr. Jeagerjaques stood there, the sleeves to his black shirt pushed up. He held the bat and his face was emotionless, his mouth a flat line. Mr. Jeagerjaques lowered the bat, coming up to Ichigo and placing a hand on Ichigo's cheek.

"Ow!" Ichigo cried, pulling back and raising a hand to his cheek.

Ichigo touched it gingerly. It throbbed angrily. He frowned. That would really hurt in the morning.

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked behind Ichigo. "Are you okay, Renji?"

"You," Renji growled. "Do you have something to do with this? Why were those men after Ichigo! Where are the other three guys?"

"I've already taken care of them," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded simply. "As for your other questions, it's up to Ichigo to let you know or not."

Ichigo's head throbbed painfully and he staggered forwards. He clutched it, putting as much pressure on it as he could without hurting it too much. The pounding continued and Ichigo fought to keep his self straight.

"What's wrong?" Renji asked worriedly.

"Nothing," Ichigo told him, his voice constricted with pain. "My head just really hurts."

"Give me your car keys, Renji," Ichigo heard Mr. Jeagerjaques order.

Ichigo heard Renji grumble, but after a second he heard the jingle of keys. Then suddenly he was swooped off his feet. Ichigo's surprise from the motion made the pain go away for a minute.

"I can walk fine," Ichigo muttered, keeping his head down to make sure no one could see his blush.

"Shut up and let me carry you," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, rolling his eyes.

Ichigo kept his mouth shut, frowning slightly. It was awkward. Mr. Jeagerjaques was carrying him princess style and Renji was right there. He wagged his eyebrows at Ichigo. That's when Ichigo noticed the large bruise on the top of his friend's head, which was bleeding slightly. Ichigo gasped, his eyes widening slightly.

"Renji! You're head!" Ichigo cried, staring at it in dismay.

Renji shrugged. "I'm sure it looks worse than it is. See?"

Renji shook his head, but his face constricted in pain, giving away his façade. Ichigo frowned at him and he sighed. They got to the car and Mr. Jeagerjaques put Ichigo down in the backseat. To Ichigo's embarrassment his teacher reached over and buckled him in.

"I can do that myself," Ichigo told him, blushing from his proximity.

"I know," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded.

Ichigo swore he saw his teacher smirking before he pulled himself out of the car and shut the door. Renji got into the passenger's seat and Mr. Jeagerjaques got into the driver's. He started the car and pulled out of the lot.

"Where are we going?" Ichigo heard Renji ask.

"My house," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, looking in the rearview mirror at Ichigo. "We have a lot to talk about."

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter twenty. Yay, Grimmjow saves the day! And I'm so proud of myself for updating so much today. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	21. Chapter 21: No More Fighting

"Ow," Ichigo hissed, trying to pull away from Mr. Jeagerjaques' grasp. "Stop it! That hurts!"

Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed for the umpteenth time. "I need to disinfect the cuts, Ichigo."

"Yeah, stop being a baby," Renji called from the couch.

Ichigo turned to scowl at him. "You made more of a fuss then I did!"

He blushed slightly and looked away from Ichigo with a huff. When he did, Ichigo saw the bandage wrapped around his head. Ichigo felt guilty immediately.

Mr. Jeagerjaques forced Ichigo's head back to the front. Ichigo immediately locked gazes with him. His gaze was so piercing it made Ichigo embarrassed and he had to look down at the floor. Mr. Jeagerjaques continued to gently clean Ichigo's cuts with disinfectant and cotton balls. Every now and ten Ichigo would hiss in pain, but Mr. Jeagerjaques' constant, regular breathing kept him calm. After what felt like forever to Ichigo, but in reality was actually only five minutes, his teacher was done. He placed two Band-Aids on the biggest cuts and left the rest alone.

"You know, if you weren't so clumsy, you wouldn't have any cuts," Mr. Jeagerjaques informed him, a smirk playing at his lips.

"Shut up," Ichigo muttered, turning pink. "The only reason I fell was because Renji threw me off balance the first time. And the second time I was tackled football style, so I don't think this was my fault."

Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed. "I'm sorry. I knew something was going to happen. I should have stayed closer."

Ichigo shook his head. "I didn't expect to have to leave the diner. We had parked right next to it."

"But Ichigo didn't see the no parking sign," Renji added.

Ichigo snatched the box of Band-Aids from Mr. Jeagerjaques' hands and chucked them at Renji. They hit Renji in the bandaged area and Ichigo heard him suppress a groan of pain.

"But still," Mr. Jeagerjaques continued. "I got you into this mess. The least I could do is protect you from getting hurt and I couldn't even do that. What's worse is that I dragged another person into it. And it's another teenager on top of that."

Ichigo placed his right hand on Mr. Jeagerjaques' shoulder. He looked at Ichigo flatly.

"I hate this. I hate how I was dragged into this. I hate how Renji was dragged into this. I hate being injured. I hate everything about gangs and wish I was never involved with them."

Mr. Jeagerjaques blinked, looking surprised. He opened his mouth to speak, but Ichigo cut him off.

"But since it's too late for all that, all I can do is my best to stay safe, keep you safe, and now keep Renji safe. I don't want to see anyone else get hurt."

Renji snorted. "Save the soap opera stuff."

Ichigo scowled, looking for something else to chuck. Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled, patting Ichigo's head.

"You're a good kid, Ichigo."

Ichigo half smiled. "But why do they hate you so much? So much that they even go after one of your students?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked. "Remember? I told you I did something bad. And I left the gang, which just makes it worse."

"But what did you do?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques shrugged. "Who knows?"

"Grimmjow."

Mr. Jeagerjaques raised his eyebrows. "You remembered to call me Grimmjow!"

"Don't change the subject!"

"Renji," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, turning to look at him. "Are you ready to hear my tragic story of woe?"

Renji rolled his eyes. "It better be good. Otherwise I'm going to beat the shit out of you for dragging Ichigo into something so dangerous."

"Renji!" Ichigo cried, half shocked, half amused.

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled. "Trust me. I'll let you beat me up anyways."

"Right. Now explain to me from the beginning. Everything."

Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed and began to explain. Ichigo already knew the story, so he went into the kitchen, aiming for something to drink. After a few minutes of fruitless searching, Ichigo returned to the living room, empty handed.

Mr. Jeagerjaques glanced at him, pausing in his story. "Need something?"

"I'm thirsty."

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled. "Sorry, I haven't been to the grocery store lately. There's some change on the counter. Grab that and go down to the vending machine."

Ichigo opened his mouth to refuse, but Mr. Jeagerjaques' look gave him the impression that he wasn't allowed to say no. He turned on his heel and went to the counter, swiping the change off of it and clenching it in his hand.

"I'll be back then…"

Renji grunted in reply and Ichigo couldn't help an amused smile from slipping onto his face. Ichigo exited into the apartment hallway and headed left. It took him a moment to realize he didn't even know there were vending machines here, let alone where they were. He hesitated before continuing down the hallway. What kind of fancy apartment was this to have vending machines? Ichigo furrowed his brow, but continued until he me made it to the stairwell. There weren't any vending machines in sight. He frowned and went down to the first floor. There were three doors now. Ichigo peeked through one, which seemed to lead to the parking lot. The other lead to another hallway, and the last led to a room with the vending machines in it.

Ichigo went in and made a beeline straight for the machine. He popped in the coins and pressed the button for a coke. It dropped down and Ichigo bent down to pick it up, immediately pressing it to his sore cheek. Ichigo let out a sigh of pleasure. Oh the wonders cold drinks could do for wounds.

Suddenly there was a pair of hands on his shoulders. Ichigo jumped, letting out a strangled cry, and knocking his can of soda against his sore cheek, making him his in pain. He struggled to get free of whoever had a grip on his shoulders. When they finally let go, Ichigo turned to see a very tall, young man with long black hair grinning at him. Ichigo stared at him curiously for a moment. Why did he look so familiar?

"Ichigo? You remember me?"

"Umm…" Ichigo hesitated.

The dark haired man frowned in disappointment. "I'm slightly offended that you don't remember me…"

Ichigo bit his lip, quickly thinking. Who was this man? Ichigo knew he had met him before, but he couldn't remember where. But he wasn't an enemy…maybe one of Mr. Jeagerjaques' friends…

"Tsukishima!" Ichigo said suddenly as the name popped into his head.

Tsukishima's expression brightened and he nodded with a grin back on his face. "You do remember me!"

"Yep," Ichigo responded, smiling slightly.

"Are you going back to Grimmjow's apartment?" Tsukishima asked him, surveying Ichigo with his eyes.

Ichigo looked away from his gaze and nodded.

"Me too! I'll accompany you!"

Ichigo nodded and together they set off back to the stairwell and towards Mr. Jeagerjaques' apartment.

"So…how are you?" Ichigo asked, trying to be polite.

"I'm great! I'd ask how you are, but it looks like you're a little down for the count."

Ichigo chuckled. "You could say that…"

They started climbing the stairs to the second floor. Tsukishima held open the door that led to the hallway for Ichigo. Ichigo nodded in thanks.

Tsukishima studied him silently. "Were you attacked?"

Ichigo nodded.

"Where's Grimmjow?"

"Back in his apartment with Renji."

"Renji?" Tsukishima repeated.

Ichigo took a deep breath. "Long story—"

He was interrupted by a loud crash from down the hallway. Tsukishima and Ichigo exchanged startled looks. Muffled yelling could be heard now and Ichigo sprinted to Mr. Jeagerjaques' apartment. Ichigo burst through the door, surveying the place quickly. He caught sight of Renji and Mr. Jeagerjaques just in time to see Renji punch Mr. Jeagerjaques in the face. Ichigo gasped, running towards Renji.

"You stupid bastard!" Renji shouted, bringing back his fist again.

Mr. Jeagerjaques stood there, making no indication that he was hurt and also not even attempting to protect himself.

"Renji!" Ichigo cried, attempting to stop Renji from punching Mr. Jeagerjaques. "Renji!"

Renji ripped his arm from Ichigo's grasp roughly, making him fall forwards. Mr. Jeagerjaques put out his arm to steady Ichigo. Renji attempted to shove Mr. Jeagerjaques' arm away and steady Ichigo instead, but only managed to knock his hand into Ichigo's bad cheek. Ichigo groaned in pain, falling over two of them anyways. Mr. Jeagerjaques managed to stop Ichigo from falling completely. He effortlessly placed Ichigo upright on his feet again. Ichigo rubbed his lip gently, glaring at Renji. Renji looked back at him guiltily.

"Ichigo, I'm sorr—"

"What are you doing?" Ichigo demanded. "You can't punch a teacher, Renji!"

"Ichigo, it's okay," Mr. Jeagerjaques cut in. "I deserved it."

Ichigo twirled around, staring at him in shock. "How did you deserve it?"

"For making you involved with those gangsters!" Renji responded, glaring angrily at Mr. Jeagerjaques. "I didn't know they were after you precisely, let alone that it was this asshole's fault."

"Renji," Ichigo reprimanded sharply. "Watch your mouth. And it's not completely his fault!"

Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed, shaking his head. Ichigo's heart was pounding so hard he swore people ten miles away could hear it. His hands shook and his breaths came short, quick, and quivering.

"You could get him killed!" Renji accused, crossing his arms.

"I know the consequences well, Mr. Abarai," Mr. Jeagerjaques snapped, returning Renji's glare.

"It's not his fault!" Ichigo repeated, turning to glare at Renji. "I'm the one that followed him that night at the fair!"

Renji's eyes widened slightly. "The fair?"

Ichigo quickly shut his mouth, blushing. That was right. He hadn't told Renji about that incident!

"What do you mean, Ichigo?" Renji demanded.

"I got Ichigo caught up in a fight," Mr. Jeagerjaques told him before Ichigo could think of any excuses.

Ichigo opened his mouth to protest, but Renji pushed him out of the way, going after Mr. Jeagerjaques again. He stumbled backwards and a different pair of arms steadied him this time. Ichigo turned to see Tsukishima frowning at the pair in front of them with a sober face. The teen turned to them as well now. Mr. Jeagerjaques had Renji's arms locked behind his back. Renji scowled and tried to pull himself free, but it was to no avail.

"You need to calm down," Mr. Jeagerjaques ordered.

"Like hell I'll calm down! You put Ichigo in danger!"

"I put myself in danger!" Ichigo told Renji, exasperated. "Don't listen to Mr. Jeagerjaques! He's lying!"

"Ichigo," Mr. Jeagerjaques said sharply.

"Just stop fighting," Ichigo begged, his eyes beginning to water. "Please…"

Mr. Jeagerjaques' gaze softened and he released Renji, whose expression had softened as well.

"I want to go home," Ichigo told the pair.

"I'll bring you," Mr. Jeagerjaques offered immediately. "It's too late to walk."

Ichigo shook his head. "No."

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked at Ichigo in surprise. "I'm not letting you go by yourself."

"I'll go with him," Renji interjected, scowling at Mr. Jeagerjaques.

Ichigo shook his head again. "I don't want to go with you either, Renji."

Renji's expression now matched Mr. Jeagerjaques' again.

"You're not going alone," they both warned together.

"Oi," Tsukishima cut in. "I'll take him."

Mr. Jeagerjaques' attention snapped to the man behind Ichigo. "When did you get here?"

"Who's he?" Renji demanded.

Ichigo groaned, holding his head. "Enough questions! I want to go home."

Tsukishima put a hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "Trust me. I'll get him home safely."

Mr. Jeagerjaques narrowed his eyes slightly. "You better."

Tsukishima chuckled. "Unlike you, I'm not interested in high school kids."

Ichigo glanced at Mr. Jeagerjaques, who stared at Tsukishima, looking stunned. Tsukishima smirked and Ichigo couldn't help a small smirk slipping onto his lips as well. It was impossible that Mr. Jeagerjaques felt that way, but it was still amusing to see that expression on his face.

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter twenty-one. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	22. Chapter 22: Bruises All Around?

"Ichigo, what happened to you?"

Ichigo winced at Rukia's loud outburst. "Why are you shouting so early in the morning?"

"Your face," Rukia commented, touching her own cheek to show him what she meant.

"I fell down the stairs," Ichigo mumbled, avoiding her gaze.

Rukia laughed. "You're so clumsy."

Ichigo forced out a laugh too, even though guilt was washing through him. He was lying to his best friend. And she easily believed him, which was proof of how much she trusted him. Ichigo's shoulders sagged. He was an awful person.

Rukia must have noticed his bad mood, because she jabbed him in the side. "Well let's get to school! I'm sure whatever you're upset about won't matter when you see Mr. Jeagerjaques!"

Ichigo grimaced. Rukia didn't know he was part of the reason for his bad attitude. It had only been one day since the fight had gone down between Mr. Jeagerjaques and Renji. Ichigo hadn't gone to school yesterday, hoping to have his injuries heal a little more before returning, and apparently Renji had had the same idea. He was still angry with Renji; there was no doubt about that. He had punched Mr. Jeagerjaques in the face for no reason. That wasn't acceptable at all.

_But Renji was just worried about you_, another part of Ichigo told his self. Ichigo held in a sigh. He was right. Renji was just worried. It's not like he punched Mr. Jeagerjaques for no reason. But still…

"Ichigo, Ichigo, earth to Ichigo!" Rukia said, waving her hand in front of his face. "Did you hear anything I just said?"

Ichigo snapped his attention onto her, smiling sheepishly. "No, sorry. What did you say?"

"I said it was weird how you, Renji, and Mr. Jeagerjaques were all absent yesterday," she told him.

"Mr. Jeagerjaques was out?" Ichigo repeated.

Rukia nodded. "Yeah, we had a substitute."

Ichigo frowned slightly. Did Mr. Jeagerjaques skip? Or did he suddenly get sick over night? Did something happen? He suddenly felt sick with worry. Ichigo tried to shake it away. He was just being paranoid. Mr. Jeagerjaques was fine.

When they arrived at the school, Renji was waiting by the gates, his arms crossed. When he noticed Rukia and Ichigo, he pushed himself off the wall and came towards them. Rukia let out a little gasp and hurried forwards.

"What happened to you?" Rukia cried with her eyes wide. "That's a horrible bruise!"

Renji raised a hand to his face and shrugged. "I fell down the stairs."

Rukia whipped her hear towards Ichigo and Ichigo quickly threw on a shocked expression.

"Ichigo did too!"

Renji raised his eyebrows at Ichigo, an amused smirk appearing on his face. "Is that so?"

Ichigo nodded, giving him a quick smile, and then looking away. Rukia looked suspiciously between them.

"Huh."

Ichigo gave Rukia a questioning look. She returned it.

"Did you two have a fight?"

Ichigo's heart skipped a beat. How could Rukia have figured that out already?

"No," Ichigo said quickly, waving his hand. "Why would we—"

"We did have a fight," Renji cut in with a sigh.

Rukia's eyes widened in surprise at Renji's statement. "You did?"

Renji nodded. "Yes, and I'd like to talk to him in private about it."

Rukia shot Ichigo a look. Ichigo returned it with a 'Please-Leave-Me-Here-Alone' one. She smirked and held up her hand.

"Say no more," she told Renji. "I'll just go over here for a bit…"

Ichigo frowned as Rukia began to saunter away towards the large oak tree that was on the other side of the gate entrance. Renji turned to Ichigo with a frown. Ichigo kept his face expressionless. What was there to talk about? Ichigo knew he had to apologize, but what did Renji have to say? Was Renji going to scold him more for getting into this gang problem? It wasn't like it was his fault…Ichigo grimaced. Well, it was partially his fault.

Renji took a deep breath. "Ichigo."

Ichigo watched him carefully. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry," he muttered, casting his eyes down.

Ichigo's eyes widened and he stared at Renji, his mouth hanging open slightly. Why was he apologizing? What did he have to apologize for?

"For what?" Ichigo forced out.

Renji shifted uncomfortably. "I yelled at you a lot yesterday…I don't want you to be angry."

Ichigo blinked and his face became expressionless again. "You think I was angry because you yelled at me?"

Renji gave him a confused look. "Aren't you?"

Ichigo returned Renji's look with an exasperated one of his own. "No! Are you stupid? I could care less about that!"

"Then what?"

"Renji, you punched the guy I…you know," Ichigo muttered, his face heating up.

"Oh," Renji responded, frowning again.

"Not to mention, this isn't entirely his fault!" Ichigo continued quickly. "I don't know what he told you, but I'm sure he blamed everything on himself, which isn't true at all! And I'm not angry with you Renji. I was actually going to apologized too."

"You were?" Renji responded, raising an eyebrow.

Ichigo nodded. "I know you only got angry because you were worried about me…and I was a jerk about it."

Renji laughed. "Ichigo, don't worry about it. I kind of understand."

Ichigo gave him a questioning look. "Understand what?"

"If I was in Mr. Jeagerjaques' position, I would also take the blame onto myself. And I guess it was a little out of line to actually punch him…so sorry about that too."

"You need to apologize to Mr. Jeagerjaques about that, before I forgive you," Ichigo told Renji, crossing his arms.

Renji's eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets. "There is no way in hell that I will ever apologize to him!"

"Then you're apology to me won't be accepted," Ichigo responded stubbornly.

Renji scowled. "Why can't you just accept it?"

"Because I'm not the one you punched!"

"But—"

"No buts," Ichigo said quickly. "You will apologize for punching him. He could press charges you know."

Renji scowled. "I know."

"Make sure you apologize to him."

Renji rolled his eyes. "If I do that, are we good? No hard feelings?"

Ichigo laughed, lightly punching Renji on his shoulder. "Renji, we are best friends. If there were 'hard feelings' over something like this, I'd be worried about our friendship."

Renji grinned. "That's true. And what would you do without a handsome man with a sexy British accent around?"

Ichigo knew Renji was refereeing to the accent he came back with after every summer he spends in England with his family.

"Tell Mr. Jeagerjaques to talk in a British accent all the time," Ichigo responded, smirking.

Renji shook his head. "I think I liked it better when I wasn't positive that you liked him."

"Wait," Ichigo started, staring at Renji. "You said you already knew when you told me to admit it!"

Renji snorted. "How am I supposed to know, Ichigo? You didn't tell me anything!"

Ichigo stared at him, his mouth open in shock. "So you lied?"

"I got you to admit it, didn't I?" Renji responded with a smirk.

"But still—"

"Mr. Jeagerjaques! What happened?" Ichigo heard Rukia cry.

Renji looked over Ichigo's shoulder, an amused expression on his face. Ichigo quickly turned around to see Rukia staring at Mr. Jeagerjaques in shock. A noticeable bruise on his cheek caught Ichigo's attention quickly. He quickly shot Renji an annoyed look. Renji covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.

"I fell down the stairs," Ichigo heard Mr. Jeagerjaques tell Rukia.

Rukia's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. She quickly looked over at Ichigo and Renji, gesturing with her hands frantically. She pointed at Mr. Jeagerjaques, then her cheek, and made some more frantic gestures. Ichigo tried to hold in his laughter, but Rukia's face made it impossible. He burst out laughing, turning away from the pair. Rukia came over to them, Mr. Jeagerjaques trialing behind her.

"Did you hear that? Mr. Jeagerjaques fell down the stairs, too!" Rukia told Ichigo, her eyes still wide.

Ichigo cleared his throat, glancing at Mr. Jeagerjaques, who was staring at him questioningly.

"What a coincidence," Ichigo responded, faking shock.

"And you all have bruises on your cheeks…"

For one panic stricken moment, Ichigo thought he saw suspicion flash across Rukia's face, but before he was positive, it was gone. Ichigo relaxed slightly. There was no way she could figure out what happened. That thought brought guilt back to Ichigo's gut. They were all now lying to Rukia. Even if it was for her own good, Ichigo felt awful about it. She had been his best friend for so long…Ichigo shock his head. He'd rather lie to her and have her safe, than tell her the truth and put her in danger.

"I'm going to class," Ichigo heard Renji mutter.

Ichigo jumped, momentarily forgetting he was there. He turned to see Renji with an irritated expression on his face. Ichigo frowned slightly. Renji looked at Ichigo for a second, his eyes narrowed. Then he turned to Mr. Jeagerjaques.

"You," Renji started, getting Mr. Jeagerjaques' attention.

"Yes?" Mr. Jeagerjaques responded politely.

"Sorry about yesterday," Renji apologized, his voice hard and strained.

Shock passed across Mr. Jeagerjaques' face. Renji turned and started hurrying towards the school building. Mr. Jeagerjaques turned to Ichigo, his eyebrows raised.

"What was that about?" Rukia asked, looking after Renji.

"Yesterday, he knocked into me at the grocery store and I dropped everything. It wasn't a very big deal," Mr. Jeagerjaques lied smoothly, smiling at Rukia.

"Oh, I see," Rukia responded, tapping her chin.

"Rukia!" A familiar voice called suddenly.

Ichigo looked up to see Kaien hurrying towards Rukia. She grinned and waved.

"Hey!" Rukia called back.

"Rukia," Kaien panted again when he was closer. "I have to show you something! Come here!"

Rukia grinned at Kaien, shaking her head. Then she turned back to Mr. Jeagerjaques and Ichigo.

"Apparently I have to go see something, so I'll see you two later."

Before Ichigo could say anything, Kaien grabbed Rukia's hand and started dragging her away, leaving Ichigo with Mr. Jeagerjaques. Ichigo did his best to avoid his gaze, staring at the ground as hard as he could. He could feel his teacher's eyes on him, but Ichigo refused to look up. What was Ichigo supposed to say? Should he apologize? Should he be mad? Ichigo didn't know. He wanted to be mad. Mr. Jeagerjaques had put all the blame on himself, but being mad about that made him feel like a jerk. His teacher was only trying to help him. A sigh slipped out of his mouth. Ichigo quickly covered his mouth, blushing.

"Ichigo, look at me."

Involuntarily, Ichigo's head whipped up to look at his teacher. He was frowning at Ichigo. Ichigo slowly frowned backed.

"I see you got home safely," Mr. Jeagerjaques commented.

Ichigo raised his eyebrows. That was the last thing he had expected Mr. Jeagerjaques to say just then. He couldn't help a smile from slipping onto his mouth.

"Yeah, Tsukishima's a nice guy," Ichigo told him.

Mr. Jeagerjaques nodded. "I agree…"

There was an awkward silence again. Ichigo averted his gaze from Mr. Jeagerjaques again.

"Ichigo, are you made at me?"

Ichigo quickly looked at Mr. Jeagerjaques again, cringing as his neck cricked. He rubbed it, muttering a colorful word. Mr. Jeagerjaques watched him with an amused expression.

"I'm not mad," Ichigo told him.

He looked relieved. "Good—"

"I'm irritated."

Mr. Jeagerjaques frowned. "Why?"

"Because! You put all the blame on yourself, Mr. Jeagerjaques!" Ichigo responded, clenching his fists. "That's what caused Renji to punch you! You should have just said that it was my fault too!"

Mr. Jeagerjaques rolled his eyes. "Ichigo, get over yourself."

Ichigo stared at him in shock, his face reddening. "Get over myself?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques nodded, putting a hand on Ichigo's head. He ruffled Ichigo's hair. "You're a good kid."

Ichigo stared at Mr. Jeagerjaques in confusion. His teacher wasn't making any sense at all! Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled at Ichigo's expression.

"Make sure you don't have any plans after school for a while," he told Ichigo, changing the subject.

Ichigo was about to tell him not to change the subject, but he dropped it.

"Why?"

"You've got a lot of work ahead for you if you don't want me to press charges on Renji."

Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked, ruffling Ichigo's hair once more. Ichigo stared at him, stupefied. Before he could say anything, his teacher turned and began walking towards the school building. Ichigo scowled. That stupid, blackmailing, devil of a teacher.

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter twenty-two. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	23. Chapter 23: Dreaming in Class

"Mr. Jeagerjaques? I'm coming in," Ichigo called through the closed literature room door.

He opened it slowly, peering in. Mr. Jeagerjaques was nowhere to be seen. Ichigo frowned slightly, walking further into the room.

"Mr. Jeagerjaques?"

No response. Ichigo walked further towards the supply closet. He reached out and grabbed the door handle, pulling the door open. Suddenly a hand shot out, grabbing Ichigo's arm and pulling him into the supply room. The door was shut behind him quickly and Ichigo felt himself being pushed against the door.

Ichigo looked at Mr. Jeagerjaques in surprise, his heart pounding heavily. "You scared the crap out of me!"

He chuckled smoothly, his hands on either side of Ichigo. "Sorry to surprise you."

Ichigo nodded and blushed, now realizing how close to his teacher was to him. He was barely a foot away. Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked when he noticed Ichigo's blush. He leaned in closer to Ichigo.

"I love it when you blush," he whispered, his lips at Ichigo's ear. "It's very cute."

Ichigo caught his breath, his eyes widening. "Mr. Jeagerjaques, are you feeling okay?"

He chuckled, pulling his head away slightly. His eyes were smoldering.

"I don't know," he admitted. "Lately I've been getting these urges…"

"What kind of urges?" Ichigo asked him quietly, his mouth dry.

"It'd be easier to show you than to tell you," he responded, a smirk playing at his lips.

"How can you show me?" Ichigo asked with his eyes glued to his teacher's.

"Like this," he responded, leaning in closer.

He gently pressed his lips against Ichigo's neck, making Ichigo freeze. Ichigo's eyes widened. What was Mr. Jeagerjaques doing? He slowly kissed up Ichigo's neck to his jaw line. Mr. Jeagerjaques followed that along to the base of Ichigo's ear and placed a kiss in the hollow beneath it. Ichigo shuddered, breathing out in a rush and turning his head.

"Look at me, Ichigo," he ordered.

Ichigo turned his head back again, staring into his teacher's eyes once more. He smirked as he leaned closer once more. His face was only inches away, a few more inches and—

"Mr. Kurosaki…Mr. Kurosaki, are you paying attention? Mr. Kurosaki, wake up!"

Ichigo quickly sat up, looking around the room alertly. Mr. Jeagerjaques was standing in front of his desk, an amused smirk on his face.

"Is my class so boring that you feel the need to sleep in it, Mr. Kurosaki?"

A few girls in the class giggled and Ichigo blushed.

"S-sorry," Ichigo muttered, looking down at the floor.

Mr. Jeagerjaques laughed and Ichigo felt him put a hand on his shoulder. "It's fine, just don't do it again."

Ichigo's face grew hotter as he remembered what he had been dreaming about. He stared at the floor, shaking his head in disbelief. This had been the first dream he had had of Mr. Jeagerjaques. It was so embarrassing.

"We're on page two hundred thirty-four, Mr. Kurosaki," Mr. Jeagerjaques told him, before going back to the front of the classroom.

Ichigo quickly flipped his book a few pages, still blushing slightly. It was weird hearing Mr. Jeagerjaques call him by Mr. Kurosaki. He remembered his teacher used to do that, but he had suddenly switched to calling the teen by his name…Ichigo frowned slightly. When had his started calling him by his first name? Ichigo couldn't remember.

Class passed by quickly and Mr. Jeagerjaques let them pack up ten minutes before the bell. Ichigo watched him curiously, wondering why he had let the class off so early.

"Remember," Mr. Jeagerjaques started, gathering the class's attention, "The field trip forms are due this Thursday if you want to go on the overnight beach trip Saturday. Make sure you get your parent or guardian to sign it for you. You don't want to miss out."

"Beach trip?" Ichigo repeated, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"I don't know what he's talking about either," a voice commented from beside him, sounding confused.

Ichigo jumped slightly and turned around to see Renji towering over him.

Renji grinned. "Have a nice nap?"

"Shut up," Ichigo muttered.

"Are you going to be going?" A girl named Hana suddenly spoke up, directing her question towards Mr. Jeagerjaques.

Mr. Jeagerjaques smiled at her and shook his head. "No, only a limited amount of chaperones could go and other teachers wanted to go more than me, so I let them."

Ichigo's heart sank slightly. Mr. Jeagerjaques wouldn't be going to the beach? It wouldn't be as fun without him…Ichigo mentally slapped his self. What was he thinking? It didn't matter if Mr. Jeagerjaques went to the beach or not. If Ichigo went on the trip, it'd be to have fun with his friends, not about handing out with Mr. Jeagerjaques.

"It won't be as fin without you," Hana complained.

Mr. Jeagerjaques smiled slightly. "I'm sure it will be the same even if I don't go."

"No!" Hana responded, pouting.

Ichigo grimaced in annoyance. If Mr. Jeagerjaques did go, girls would surround him anyway. The bell rang and Ichigo quickly closed his biology book, stuffing it into his backpack.

"I'm not waiting," Renji informed him and started walking away.

"You never do," Ichigo responded, rolling his eyes.

Ichigo hitched his backpack over his shoulder, making for the exit. He was the last one to leave, but before he reached the door, Mr. Jeagerjaques stopped him.

"Ichigo," he started, making the teen freeze.

Images of his dream came bursting into his head and Ichigo had to quickly shake them away, his cheeks faintly heating up.

Ichigo turned slowly, offering him a smile. "Yes, Grimmjow?"

He raised an eyebrow. "We're in school, Ichigo. Don't call me Grimmjow."

Ichigo blushed when he realized his mistake. "I'm sorry, I—"

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled. "No harm done. No one is around."

"What do you want?"

"To remind you to come to my room after school today…and while you're at it, bring me a snack from the school store."

"Can't you get one yourself?"

"I could," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, a smirk slipping onto his face, "but I don't want to."

Ichigo scowled. "I'm not getting you a snack."

"Really now?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques moved away from his desk, walking over to Ichigo slowly. Ichigo stood his ground, staring at his teacher determinedly. He stopped about a foot away from him.

"Hmm…"

Ichigo watched him cautiously as Mr. Jeagerjaques studied his face. His teacher frowned slightly, raising his hand. Ichigo resisted the urge to take a step back. He shut his eyes quickly when Mr. Jeagerjaques touched his face.

"This looks really bad," he commented quietly.

Ichigo's eyes shot open and he stared at him. Where did that come from? Wasn't he going to blackmail Ichigo into getting him a snack? Ichigo watch him warily.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Ichigo told him, attempting to turn his head.

Mr. Jeagerjaques held it in place, frowning at the bruise. "Have you iced it?"

Ichigo nodded. "For about two hours last night. What about yours?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked slightly. "Someone like me doesn't need to ice his wounds. I can suck it up."

Ichigo scowled at him. "You're such a—"

Suddenly a loud noise filled the air. Ichigo was confused for a moment until he realized it was the bell. Mr. Jeagerjaques dropped his hand and his smirk grew wider.

"You're late."

Ichigo glared at him. "Like I don't know that! Where's your class?"

"I don't have one this period," he told Ichigo, shrugging. "Now I suggest you get going…"

"Can't I have a late pass?" Ichigo begged.

"Are you going to get me a snack after school?" Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, his eyes lighting up with amusement.

Ichigo scowled at him for a moment before sighing in defeat. "Fine."

He chuckled, walking back over to his desk. Mr. Jeagerjaques grabbed one of the yellow slips of paper and began to write on it. When he was finished, he gave Ichigo the piece of paper.

"You'd better hurry, I put the time that you left two minutes ago…you should almost be to your class by now…"

Ichigo's eyes widened and he quickly turned and dashed out of the room into the empty hallway. He sprinted down the hallway, hoping to reach his next class quickly. Ichigo scowled to his self. Mr. Jeagerjaques was such a jerk.

When the last bell sounded signaling the end of the day, Ichigo slowly trudged his way to the school store. He didn't even know what Mr. Jeagerjaques wanted! Ichigo stood in line for the store, frowning to his self. Suddenly there was a pair of arms around him and a weight on his back. Ichigo staggered forwards a few steps, looking behind him to see Rukia. She grinned, still clinging onto him.

"What are you doing?" Ichigo asked, peeling her arms off him.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," she responded, laughing.

"Buying food from the school store?" Ichigo responded, smiling slightly.

"I knew that," Rukia said. "But you never buy food from the school store, so it's weird."

"It's not for me," Ichigo responded with a sigh.

"Who is it for?"

Ichigo opened his mouth to reply, but cut his self short. He couldn't tell Rukia whom he was buying the food for. With that stupid forbidden love idea of hers, she'd tease him about it for who knows how long. Ichigo grimaced slightly.

"Um, myself," Ichigo told her.

"Okay…," Rukia responded, sounding confused. "Anyway! What are you doing right now? Do you want to go downtown?"

Ichigo shook his head. "I have to stay after school."

"Why?"

Ichigo hesitated for a moment. "Detention…"

It wasn't a complete lie. What Ichigo was doing was basically detention. Well no, it was blackmail, but he would never tell anyone that. And if he did, Mr. Jeagerjaques would surely beat him up.

"For who?" Rukia asked, continuing her mini interrogation.

"Mr. Jeagerjaques," Ichigo said with a sigh.

Rukia blanked for a moment, and then a huge smirk spread across her face. "Oh, is that so?"

"Yep."

"What did you do this time?"

"I, er…fell asleep in class," Ichigo told her.

Again, it wasn't exactly a lie. That could have gotten him a detention in another class, so why not Mr. Jeagerjaques'?

"How could you fall asleep in that class?" Rukia gasped. "Surely even if the class was boring, just looking at Mr. Jeagerjaques should keep you awake."

Ichigo snorted. "You sound like a fan girl."

"He's cute," Rukia responded with another smirk. "I can't help it."

"And what does Kaien say about this?"

Rukia shrugged. "Kaien doesn't care because he knows Mr. Jeagerjaques is too old for me."

"There you go."

"But he's not too old for you," Rukia continued, nudging him in the ribs with her elbow.

Ichigo rolled his eyes at her, entering the mini store. He searched the items quickly, deciding on a bag of salt and vinegar chips. Ichigo smirked slightly to his self. Hardly anyone he knew besides himself liked this flavor of chips and he hoped Mr. Jeagerjaques didn't either. His teacher had never told him specifically what to get, so it couldn't be helped it he got something he didn't like.

"Well have fun with your detention," Rukia said, exiting the store with him. "And I want to hear about it tonight."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "There will be nothing to hear about."

Rukia smirked. "You never know."

Ichigo sighed, shaking his head. Rukia laughed, giving him a quick hug.

"See you tomorrow."

"Adios," Ichigo responded, waving once.

With the bag of salt and vinegar chips in his hand, Ichigo started down the first floor hallway towards the literature wing. When he reached Mr. Jeagerjaques' hall he felt his heartbeat begin to increase. This was the first time he'd had to be completely alone with his teacher with no one to interrupt them since Renji had made him confirm his feelings. Ichigo swallowed nervously. Here he goes.

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter twenty-three. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. I really do live for the reviews and it helps me immensely want to continue writing a story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	24. Chapter 24: Detentions?

"How did you know salt and vinegar is my favorite flavor of chips?"

Ichigo stared blankly at Mr. Jeagerjaques. His teacher couldn't be serious. He smirked at Ichigo, opening the bag of chips and eating one. So much for that idea. Ichigo glanced around the room and his attention was drawn to the homework on the board. Getting the permission slip for the field trip signed was under his grade's homework.

"What's the field trip?" Ichigo asked, turning back to Mr. Jeagerjaques.

He stared at Ichigo curiously for a moment, and then realization swept across his face. "Oh, that's right. You were out yesterday."

"How do you know? You were out, too."

"Attendance form," he informed Ichigo, an amused smirk on his face.

"Oh," Ichigo responded simply.

"There's a class trip to the beach on Saturday," Mr. Jeagerjaques started, going over to his desk. "I have a form somewhere if you want one…They are staying overnight at the hotel by the beach."

"I want one," Ichigo told him quickly.

He frowned at the teen. "Are you sure?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques shrugged. "Never mind."

"Okay?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to him. Ichigo scanned it quickly and put it into his backpack.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

A thought suddenly popped into Ichigo's head and he frowned slightly.

"Say, Mr. Jeagerjaques…"

"Grimmjow," he corrected, raising an eyebrow.

"Grimmjow," Ichigo said and rolled his eyes. "Why don't you ever have a detention list on the board?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques eyed him for a moment before shrugging. "I didn't realize I had to have one."

"You don't, but most teachers do to remember who had a detention," Ichigo told him, looking at his teacher's desk. "And I've, also, noticed that you don't have any detention slips either."

"They're just in my drawer."

Ichigo's frown deepened. "Come to think of it…I've never heard anyone say they've got a detention from you, either." Ichigo looked at his teacher curiously. "Why is that?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques cleared his throat. "I don't know what you're talking about. I give detention."

"Yeah, to me," Ichigo snorted. "But how come I've never heard anyone else say they have detention from you?"

"I don't know," he responded casually.

"The girls would surely gloat about it and the guys would complain…but ever since you started working here, no one has said anything about a detention with you."

Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed and looked at Ichigo. "Why are you so interested?"

Ichigo shrugged. "No reason really, the thought just suddenly popped into my head."

Mr. Jeagerjaques stayed quiet for a moment and Ichigo went over to the white board, debating on asking whether he should clean it for his teacher or not. It wasn't like it seemed that his teacher had anything planned for him to do anyways.

"I'm not allowed to have students serve detention with me," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, breaking the silence.

Ichigo turned to look at him in surprise. "What? Why?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked over at him with a smirk. "Can't you figure it out? A young, extremely handsome, kind man like myself being alone in a room with a high schooler?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "You're a teacher. Nothing could happen since it's illegal."

"Mm," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, frowning at the younger man.

For some reason, Ichigo felt like what he had said had dampened his teacher's mood slightly, but before he could comment on it, another thought popped into his head. Ichigo glared at him.

"If you weren't allowed to give out detentions, how come I got one the first week?" Ichigo demanded, crossing his arms.

Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked, shrugging slightly. "I had a feeling you'd be a fun person to tease…and boy was I right."

"You're a jerk, you know that?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques laughed. "And I take pleasure in the fact."

Ichigo scowled at him. "Well now I know that if you ever give me a detention again, I don't have to go."

"You'll go anyway, though."

Ichigo stared at him, his mouth drying slightly. Had he figured something out? Why would he make that comment? He must have mistaken Ichigo's look for a confused one.

"Because it'll be blackmail, of course," he continued simply.

Ichigo gave him a flat look. "Don't say such things so lightly."

Mr. Jeagerjaques laughed, his unruly hair falling into his face. Ichigo was taken aback by his looks for a moment, but forced himself to look away as a warm blush spread onto his face. He really needed to learn how to control his horrible blushing habits.

A silence settled in and Ichigo awkwardly played with his fingers while Mr. Jeagerjaques stared at him. Ichigo finally snapped his attention to him. His teacher raised an eyebrow.

"What do you want me to do?" Ichigo demanded, the silence getting to him.

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Obviously you need me to do manual labor," Ichigo responded. "Otherwise you wouldn't have blackmailed me into coming."

Mr. Jeagerjaques laughed. "I wouldn't really call it blackmailing…"

Ichigo stared flatly at him. He grinned back.

"Whatever," Ichigo responded, sighing deeply.

"Follow me," Mr. Jeagerjaques said suddenly, beckoning Ichigo towards the supply room. "While we're waiting for him, you can help me store today's materials from the labs."

"Him," Ichigo echoed, following Mr. Jeagerjaques into the supply room. "Labs? You're a literature teacher not a science teacher, so why are you doing labs?"

Ichigo blushed faintly, remembering his dream, but quickly shook it out of his head. There was no way that would ever happen.

"Urahara asked me to sub for him at the last minute, which he's lucky that I don't have a class last period," he answered. "Wash out these test tubes."

Ichigo sighed, walking over to the sink where the test tubes were. Something hit him in the back of the head and he turned around to see Mr. Jeagerjaques nodding to the ground where the thing that had hit him lay. He looked down to see a pair of gloves.

"Wear those just in case," he suggested, before turning his back to Ichigo.

Ichigo looked at the test tubes warily, before picking up the gloves and putting them on. "What chemicals were you using exactly today?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked over at him with a smirk. "Nothing too bad."

Ichigo rolled his eyes, picking up one of the test tubes. If anything happened, at least he could sue him. The thought brought a smile to his face. He turned on the sink and began washing the test tubes out, filling it with water, shaking it, and pouring the water out. When he was done, he put it upside down on a paper towel and started on the next one. About halfway through them, Ichigo felt a presence next to him.

"You're slow," Mr. Jeagerjaques commented, looking over the teen's shoulder.

"Look, I'm going as fast as I can," Ichigo snapped, raising the hand with the test tube in annoyance.

Water from the test tube sloshed out, going over his shoulder and into Mr. Jeagerjaques' face. Ichigo quickly turned around in shock to see Mr. Jeagerjaques frowning at him, water dripping down his face.

"Sorry," Ichigo apologized, trying not to laugh.

Mr. Jeagerjaques rolled his eyes, wiping his face off with the back of his sleeve. "I need to go to the conference room for a minute. Stay here."

"Okay," Ichigo responded, turning back to the sink.

Mr. Jeagerjaques ruffled Ichigo's hair and chuckled to himself before exiting the room. Ichigo stared after him for a moment, trying to fix his hair with his forearm. Why did he do that? As if his hair didn't look bad enough as it was without him having to mess it up. He sighed to himself, picking up the next test tube.

Hair mussing…that was like a brotherly gesture. Or a fatherly one… Ichigo froze, his mouth falling open slightly. Did Mr. Jeagerjaques think of him as a dad would his son? The thought made him sick, but it was possible. He shook his head violently. That wasn't it. It couldn't possibly be it, and if it was then he would change that.

Suddenly he felt a pair of arms encircle his waist. Ichigo screamed and jumped violently in surprise, dropping the test tube in his hand. It fell to the ground and smashed. He struggled for a moment, trying to release himself from the mystery person's arms. The person holding him chuckled, not letting go of him.

"Did I surprise you?" A familiar voice asked.

"Tsukishima?" Ichigo asked, turning his head and coming face-to-face with the dark haired man.

"Hi there," he responded with a grin.

"Ichigo? What's wrong?" A new voice called in worry.

Tsukishima turned him around, his strong arms still around his waist. Ichigo struggled for a moment until he realized he had no chance of escaping his grasp. Mr. Jeagerjaques appeared, his eyes flashing around the room before landing on Tsukishima.

"Oh, it's just you," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, a frown on his face but looking relieved. His eyes moved to Tsukishima's arms around Ichigo's waist. "What are you doing?"

"Showing the love," Tsukishima responded, squeezing Ichigo.

"Hey," Ichigo said, trying to get out of his grasp. "What love?"

"That's cold," Tsukishima stated. "I thought last night meant something…"

"Let him go," Mr. Jeagerjaques ordered, rolling his eyes. "I thought you 'aren't interested in high school kids'?"

Tsukishima chuckled and released Ichigo. "Feelings change, you know."

"In two days?"

"Maybe."

Mr. Jeagerjaques rolled his eyes again. "Whatever. Ichigo, let's go."

"Let's go?" Ichigo repeated, giving him a questioning look.

Mr. Jeagerjaques nodded. "Now that Tsukishima's here, we can get started."

"With what?"

"Teaching you how to fight, obviously," Tsukishima responded for him, looking at Ichigo like he was the densest person on earth.

Ichigo stared back at him. What?

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter twenty-four. I'm sorry I haven't updated 'My Secret Love' in a bit now, but I was trying to get back into the swing of going to school. And school definitely cuts back on my writing time sadly. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. I really do live for the reviews and it helps me immensely want to continue writing a story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	25. Chapter 25: Defense Lesson

"Teaching me how to fight?" Ichigo responded, raising an eyebrow.

"That's what I said…you aren't that bright, are you?" Tsukishima responded.

Ichigo ignored him, turning to Mr. Jeagerjaques. He gestured Ichigo towards him. Ichigo moved around Tsukishima and walked up to him.

"Why do I need to know how to fight?" Ichigo asked him. "I mean, I know the basics but…"

"In case something like the other night happens and for some reason I'm not there to save you," Mr. Jeagerjaques explained, flicking Ichigo's forehead. "I don't want to see you get seriously injured because of me."

"I'm not sure if fighting against them is the smartest idea though," Ichigo responded honestly. "Won't it just give them more of a reason to come after me?"

Tsukishima scoffed. "They have reason enough already. Haven't you got into a mix with them twice already? Just knowing you know Grimmjow is enough for them."

Ichigo frowned. That's they said about Renji when Ichigo had told them to leave him alone the other night. What kind of people were these gangsters? Why did they hate Mr. Jeagerjaques so much?

"Mr. Jeagerjaques," Ichigo started, looking up at him.

"Grimmjow," he corrected him.

"Grimmjow," Ichigo said, frowning. "What exactly did you do to make them hate you so much?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques suddenly tensed, his fists tightening. "I told you already, didn't I? I left the gang."

"That's obviously not the only thing you did!"

"It is, now shut up about it."

"I'll shut up when you tell me the truth!" Ichigo argued, stepping in front of him. "Just tell me."

"Drop it, Ichigo."

"No!"

"Yes, now let's go," Mr. Jeagerjaques ordered, putting a hand on Ichigo's shoulder and pushing him forwards.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me," he responded boldly.

Mr. Jeagerjaques rolled his eyes. "Tsukishima, grab him and take him out the back. I'll go meet you at my house."

"Will do," Tsukishima responded, appearing behind Ichigo and grabbing him. "Let's go, kid."

"No," Ichigo said firmly, keeping his ground. "I want to know why they hate Mr. Jeagerjaques so much and why; otherwise I'm not moving anywhere."

"Grimmjow," Tsukishima corrected him, putting his hands on Ichigo's waist. "Now let's go."

He suddenly hoisted Ichigo off his feet and over his shoulder. Ichigo gasped, flailing his arms wildly. Tsukishima chuckled; placing a hand on Ichigo's lower back to keep him steady.

"Let me go!" Ichigo demanded, struggling against him. "This could be considered kidnapping! Grimmjow!"

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked at him with an amused expression. "Yes, Mr. Kurosaki?"

"Tell him to let me go!"

"Will you willingly come along then?"

Ichigo hesitated, scowling at him. "Yes…"

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled. "Sure you will. Go on Tsukishima. And watch your hand."

Tsukishima laughed. "Okay."

The dark haired man left the room with Ichigo in tow. Ichigo struggled to get out of his grasp. Tsukishima chuckled at his fruitless attempts.

"What is up with adults thinking I can't walk by myself?" Ichigo growled, giving up.

"Technically, I'm not an adult."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty," Tsukishima responded simply.

"That's close enough. You can be considered an adult at eighteen," Ichigo told him, looking around to make sure no one was in the hallways.

"But technically, you're considered an adult at twenty-one, and you can drink at that age."

"Why does that matter?"

Tsukishima laughed, turning a corner in the hallway. He looked behind him for a second and then put Ichigo down. "What Grimmjow doesn't know won't hurt him, so don't run away."

"I won't run away," Ichigo responded, frowning slightly.

"Good, now hurry. I want to beat Grimmjow to his house."

Tsukishima grabbed his upper arm and began jogging out of the building. Ichigo stumbled along, trying to keep up with him. His strides were longer and quicker, so Ichigo had to basically run to keep up. They came to what Ichigo assumed to be Tsukishima's car, he gestured for him to get in and buckle up. Ichigo did so and he got in, and not even five seconds later he was peeling out of the parking lot.

Ichigo looked over at Tsukishima warily. "Don't tell me…"

He grinned back, shifting gears. "We are so going to beat him."

Fifteen terrifying minutes later, they pulled into Mr. Jeagerjaques' apartment's parking lot. Tsukishima pulled into a parking spot and shut off the car. Ichigo stayed seated for a few moments, one hand still gripping the cup holder and the other holding onto the dash.

"That…was scary," he finally said, turning to look at Tsukishima with wide eyes. "You drive like a maniac! I'm pretty sure we were over the speed limit the whole time!"

"I took the back streets," Tsukishima responded with a wave of his hand.

"It's still dangerous!"

"We are fine."

Ichigo's door suddenly opened and he turned to see Mr. Jeagerjaques frowning down at them.

"Ichigo, what's wrong?"

"I am never driving with Tsukishima again," he told him, swinging his legs out the door so he could get out.

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled, moving out of the way. Ichigo heard Tsukishima sigh deeply behind him.

"How did you get here so fast?" He huffed, crossing his arms. "I swear you left after us."

Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked. "Who used to won all the street races?"

"Street races?" Ichigo gasped, looking between the two.

"Forget it, let's go inside and get started," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, brushing him off. "I have somewhere to go at five."

The three of them trooped inside and then up the stairs to Mr. Jeagerjaques' apartment. He took out his key and unlocked the door, gesturing the other two inside first. Ichigo went in eagerly. It was his third time being to his apartment, but it was still just as exciting.

"Ichigo, make me some coffee," he ordered.

Ichigo turned to him with a skeptical look. "This is your house."

He raised an eyebrow. "And?"

Ichigo scowled at him for a moment, but went to his kitchen anyways. He didn't even know where the coffee was!

"Stupid teacher," he muttered, opening the pantry and locating the can of coffee.

Five minutes later, he returned to the living room with three steaming mugs of coffee. He did his best to keep his smirk hidden as he placed Mr. Jeagerjaques cup in front of him. Ichigo had added an extra little surprise to his. He went back into the kitchen to grab the container of half and half he had found in the fridge and the sugar jar.

Ichigo watched as Mr. Jeagerjaques poured unnecessary amounts of sugar and half and half into his cup. A habit he now found sort of cute. Ichigo blushed, looking down at his own cup and putting a few carefully measured spoonful's of sugar. When he looked back up, Mr. Jeagerjaques was raising his cup to his mouth.

Ichigo couldn't help the smirk from spreading to his face as the cup against his lips. He took a long drink, and to Ichigo's surprise and disappointment, didn't even make a face. Mr. Jeagerjaques let out a sigh and placed the cup back on the table. When he caught Ichigo staring he raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

Ichigo frowned. "Nothing…"

Surely the tabasco sauce and salt Ichigo added to his cup would have made some difference. Or was he just sucking it up, because he didn't want to let Ichigo know he'd been tricked?

Suddenly there was a gagging to his right and he looked up to see Tsukishima looking at his cup in disgust. He looked at Ichigo, his eyes narrowing.

"Just because I drove fast in the car, doesn't mean you have to poison me!"

Ichigo gaped at him, trying not to laugh, but at the same time feeling bad. "I'm sorry! I didn't know."

"Ugh," he groaned, covering his mouth. "I think I'm going to be sick…I need some water to wash this taste away."

He stood up and went into the kitchen. Ichigo heard the running of water and the clink of a glass being taken from the cupboard. He looked at Mr. Jeagerjaques who was innocently sipping his coffee. Ichigo sighed inwardly and picked up his own, taking a sip. His eyes widened and he gagged instantly, doing his best to swallow the bilge in his mouth. Mr. Jeagerjaques looked him curiously, a smirk slipping onto his face. Ichigo blushed and looked away. How had he managed to slip whatever he did into Ichigo's drink? It tasted like mustard. Ichigo didn't know, but he wasn't going to let him have the glory of tricking him. He wouldn't let him know. Five seconds later, his resolve dissolved and he rushed to the kitchen, grabbing Tsukishima's water out of his hand and quickly taking a sip, gargling and spitting it out.

"You don't screw with the master," Ichigo heard Mr. Jeagerjaques' voice float into the kitchen.

Ichigo lowered his head in defeat. He'd gotten him.

"Right, so show me how to make a fist," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, when they were all settled with fresh cups of coffee ten minutes later.

Ichigo frowned, holding out his hand. He clenched his fist, tucking his thumb between his middle finger and pointer finger. Tsukishima snorted, bowing his head in silent laughter. Ichigo frowned at him.

"What?"

"Ichigo…how did you manage to punch those guys before with a fist like that?" Mr. Jeagerjaques said with a sigh. "Come here."

Ichigo moved himself over to the other side of the couch, where Mr. Jeagerjaques grabbed his hand, unclenching it. He blushed slightly at the contact, but tried to shake it away quickly. Mr. Jeagerjaques folded his fingers into a fist again and then placed his thumb over his pointer and middle fingers.

"If you tuck your thumb, it will be easily broken," Mr. Jeagerjaques informed him, "Even if it's someone like you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Punch me," Mr. Jeagerjaques said.

"What?"

"Punch me," he repeated, raiding an eyebrow. "Surely you know what that means."

"I do but why?" Ichigo responded, looking at him like he was crazy.

"I want to see how hard you can punch. Do it, you won't hurt me. I promise."

He stood up and then forcefully pulled Ichigo to his feet. Ichigo scowled at him for a moment, yanking his arm out of his grasp.

"Well, you asked for it."

Using as much force as he could, he brought back his arm and then brought it forwards, aiming to land a forceful hit on his chest. Before his eyes could catch what was happening, Mr. Jeagerjaques blocked his fist with his hand with ease. Ichigo blinked as he curled his hand around his fist.

"Well you have some force," he commented, releasing Ichigo's fist.

Ichigo pulled his hand back and frowned at him. "Teaching me how to fight won't help me win against whoever I'm fighting if I lack skill."

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked at him in surprise for a second, and then his face turned serious. "Ichigo, I'm teaching you how to defend yourself and be able to make a getaway. I don't want you even trying to take on anyone, that's too dangerous. If you aren't able to contact me, call Tsukishima or even the police if you have to."

"Whoa, no, I can't get involved with police. My dad will flip!"

"It's better that than you ending up dead," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded in a hard voice.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at him. "So, what are your tips for running away then?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques' face softened and he nodded his head. "There are a few key things to know if they try to attack you while fleeing, which they undoubtedly will."

Tsukishima rolled his eyes and propped his feet up on the coffee table. "I still say we just let him fight them."

"I'd be killed," Ichigo stated, frowning. "I don't even want to delude myself into thinking I could take on a gangster…"

Mr. Jeagerjaques nodded, sending a glare at Tsukishima. "The most important thing is keeping you safe."

"How much do you know about fighting?" Tsukishima cut in, looking at him curiously.

"I've watched a few movies," Ichigo responded, furrowing his eyebrows. "I know right hooks, left hooks, uppercuts…"

Tsukishima looked impressed. "Anything else?"

"I took karate for a while when I was younger."

Tsukishima looked at him in surprise then to Mr. Jeagerjaques. "Why didn't you just say that in the first place?"

Ichigo stared at him in confusion. "What difference does it make? That won't help me now."

"The point is that you know some things, which means we only have to give you some advice that deals with fleeing and defending."

Mr. Jeagerjaques cleared his throat. "Speaking of which, may I get started now?"

Tsukishima grinned and nodded. "Aye, aye, sir."

"Let's start with punching. If you feel the need that you have to fight back, and by have to, I mean have to," Mr. Jeagerjaques started, putting emphasis on his words, "aim for the nose and lips."

Ichigo stared at him, blanking in surprise. "What? Why? The head is where it'd hurt—"

"You could easily break the smaller bones in your hand or collapse your knuckle," Mr. Jeagerjaques explained. "The nose is the best spot. The temples, then the throat, and moving lower aim for the kidneys."

Ichigo raised his hand. Mr. Jeagerjaques' expression became amused for a moment and he smirked.

"Yes, Mr. Kurosaki?"

"What do I do if my hands are…unable to be used," Ichigo said, wording his sentence awkwardly. "Like if they were holding my arms or something."

"Kick," Tsukishima responded simply. "You're pretty much like a girl. It should be in your nature to kick violently if some man has his hands on you when it's not wanted."

Mr. Jeagerjaques nodded. "Kicking is the correct answer. However, don't aim for the head."

"Why not?"

"They may be aiming to kill you, but I highly doubt you want a murder on your hands."

His eyes widened slightly and he shook his head. "No…"

"Good, because killing someone never leads to good things, right Grimmjow?" Tsukishima added, nudging Mr. Jeagerjaques in the shoulder.

Mr. Jeagerjaques shot him a glare before rolling his eyes. "Everyone knows that."

Ichigo frowned. "Yeah…"

"If you fall on the ground, roll," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, turning his attention back to Ichigo again. "Trust me when I say, they will not hesitate to kick you while you're down…or stomp on you."

Ichigo winced at the mental image in his head. "Will do…"

A phone ringing suddenly pierced the silence and Mr. Jeagerjaques stood up abruptly. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID.

"I'll be right back," he muttered, glaring at the phone before turning and going out into the hallway.

Ichigo and Tsukishima exchanged curious looks, but Ichigo shrugged it off. Mr. Jeagerjaques always seemed to be chatting to someone on the phone. And he usually didn't end the call in a good mood. Tsukishima patted his shoulder.

"I don't know about you, but I think Grimmjow should stick to teaching literature. His…quote-unquote teaching about fighting isn't very good in my opinion."

"Eh," Ichigo muttered not in agreement, but not in disagreement either.

"Tell you what, I'll teach you some things on my own," Tsukishima offered. "So you'll be better prepared. But you can't tell Grimmjow."

"Why not?'

Tsukishima smiled slightly. "I don't think he'd be happy about it. He's such a mother hen when it comes to you. I don't think I've seen Grimmjow this worried over anything."

Ichigo looked down at his lap. "Like a mother worries over her children, huh…"

Tsukishima abruptly started laughing and ruffled Ichigo's hair. "No. A man worrying for someone he cares about."

Ichigo blushed and shook his head. "Not in that way!"

Tsukishima smirked. "Oh, so you like him in 'that way'?"

"I don't love him!"

"Whoever said I was talking about love?" Tsukishima responded, his smirk growing wider. "This is just too cute. You guys will make a great couple!"

Ichigo blushed harder and glared at him. "It's obvious he doesn't like me like that."

"I think he does."

"You're stupid then," Ichigo told him.

Ichigo didn't want to get his hopes up. And after all, he was still a high school boy while he was an adult.

"You don't know him like I do," Tsukishima responded. "I think you'd be good for him…especially because of how his life has been like up until now."

Ichigo looked back up at Tsukishima, who was frowning now. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that—"

The door opened and before he realized what was happening, Tsukishima pulled him into a deep hug. Ichigo blushed, trying to get away.

"What are you doing?"

"Making him jealous."

Ichigo heard footsteps across the floor and then they stopped behind him. He swallowed nervously, trying to slide his way out of Tsukishima's grasp.

"I was gone not even five minutes and you throw yourself on him?' Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, grabbing Ichigo's shoulders and forcibly yanking him away from Tsukishima.

Ichigo stumbled and fell back into his teacher's chest, blushing once again. Mr. Jeagerjaques steadied him before letting him go. Ichigo looked up at him and his teacher threw a disapproving look at Tsukishima.

"Can I trust you to take him home? Or will you attack him in the car?"

"I might," Tsukishima said with a smirk on his face.

"I don't have time for this," Mr. Jeagerjaques snapped, glaring at the man. "Yes or no."

Tsukishima sighed. "Yes. What's got you all hyped up? A date?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked. "Something along those lines…

Tsukishima blanked and Ichigo froze. Mr. Jeagerjaques had a date?

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter twenty-five. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. I really do live for the reviews and it helps me immensely want to continue writing a story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	26. Chapter 26: Two Can Play at That

"Ichigo. Ichigo? Ichigo!"

Something hit the top of his head and he jumped, coming out of his daze. He looked to his right to see Renji frowning at him.

"I've been calling your name for the past minute!"

"Sorry," Ichigo responded, stretching.

"Can I have your extra pizza sticks?"

A grin made its way onto his face and he shook his head, sliding his lunch tray over to Renji. "You wanted my attention just to ask me that? Usually you just take them."

"Can't I be a gentleman once in a while?"

Renji grinned at him and he just rolled his eyes back. The small scar on his head from when the bat hit him caught Ichigo's attention. Renji caught him looking and frowned.

"It doesn't hurt," he informed Ichigo, running a finger over it. "It is just sort of ruining my good looks."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay."

Silence fell between them again and Ichigo moodily picked through his trial mix. He had already picked out the M&M's and the only things left were all the nuts and raisins. Both food items were gross in his opinion.

He absent wondered if Mr. Jeagerjaques liked peanuts. Or if he liked chocolate…Ichigo frowned slightly after a moment. He didn't actually know anything about him, besides his past as a gang member and he didn't even know all that. Mr. Jeagerjaques was keeping something from him. But he never shared what he liked or disliked. He never told Ichigo what he likes to do or where he came from… He probably wouldn't tell Ichigo who he went on a date with.

Ichigo huffed, crushing a peanut between his fingers. Who did Mr. Jeagerjaques know that was a girl besides the faculty and students here? And more importantly, what did he see in her? Mr. Jeagerjaques had never mentioned a girl before! And Tsukishima didn't even know who he was dating. Ichigo wanted to know who she was, but at the same time he didn't. What if she was a beautiful woman who he couldn't even compete against? It was more than possible. Mr. Jeagerjaques was very handsome…

Ichigo heaved a heavy sigh, slumping onto the table. Love was a very unfair thing. Suddenly he was forced into a sitting position and he looked around in shock, before his eyes landed on Renji's hard face. He looked at Ichigo accusingly and crossed his arms.

"Ichigo Kurosaki. You tell me what's wrong with you this instant!"

"Huh?" Ichigo looked at him in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"You've sighed at least fifty times since lunch started," a new voice from his left pointed out.

Ichigo jumped again, turning to his left to see Rukia watching him with concerned eyes. "When did you get here?"

"I've been here the whole time," she told him, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't notice me?"

"Oh…no."

"Because he's too busy being in the dumps about something he won't share with us," Renji interjected, frowning at him.

"Tell us what's wrong," Rukia prompted. "Obviously there's something going on."

Ichigo shook his head. "Nothing's going on."

Renji and Rukia gave him skeptical looks.

"Really," Ichigo assured.

"Not even the slightest?"

"Fine. I didn't study for the math test," Ichigo lied. "All the formulas got to me and I said screw it, I can afford to fail. So, it's not that big of a deal. And even if it was—"

"Ichigo, don't faff."

"Don't what?"

Renji rolled his eyes. "Americans…"

"Listen, sometimes there are problems I have that you wouldn't want to hear about, Renji. And it just so happens that this one happens to be about a man you don't really like."

Renji's eyes widened in shock. "Oh, Mr. Je—"

Ichigo shot him a warning glare.

"J-Jessie's got himself a girl and I want to make her mine!" Renji sang quickly, making his voice high pitched as he sang.

Ichigo shook his head and caught Rukia grinning widely at him. He watched her carefully.

"It's about Mr. Jeagerjaques isn't it?" Rukia said, looking smug.

"What? No!" Ichigo responded too quickly, glaring at Renji, who was still singing.

Rukia grinned wider, if that was possible. "Oh, I think it is." She turned to Renji. "Don't you think so too, Renji?"

They stared at each other for a minute. Renji held up his side for a minute, but Ichigo could see him start to falter under Rukia's intimidating gaze.

"Ah…I think so, too."

"Renji!"

"C'mon, just tell us," Rukia urged.

"Where's Kaien?" Ichigo asked, trying to change the subject. "And Tatsuki? And Orihime?"

"Away," Rukia responded quickly, she put on a pouting face. "Ichigo, just say it. We won't judge you. I'm your best friend, you can tell me. Besides I already know how you feel about him."

Renji coughed quietly and Ichigo shot him another glare.

He looked back sheepishly. "It's Rukia…you know how she is. She just doesn't bugger off until you tell her. She just continues to harass you until you just can't take it anymore! She's so conniving."

"But it was a secret Renji!" Ichigo snapped back, ignoring his excuses.

"So, it is true!" Rukia gasped, staring at him with wide eyes. "I didn't believe it when Renji told me! But I knew you'd fall for him! I felt the chemistry. I knew he liked you, too."

Ichigo let out an exasperated sigh. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Rukia…"

She stared at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Just because I like him—"

"Love him," Renji interjected.

Ichigo sent him a harsh glare. "Doesn't mean anything will happen…besides, he's got a date."

Rukia's eyes widened more, even Renji looked surprised.

"So that's your problem," he commented, frowning slightly.

Ichigo glared at him, letting out an 'hmph'. He snickered at him.

"Aw, is Ichigo jealous?"

"I'm not jealous," Ichigo snapped at him.

"You're in denial," Rukia interjected, patting his shoulder.

"I'm not."

She raised her eyebrows. "Sounds like denial to me."

"But I'm not!" Ichigo argued, clenching his fists. "I'm not jealous. Why would I be jealous? He can date any woman he wants. I'm not stopping him. I can't stop him, it's not like we are a thing. He's probably dating a model."

Renji watched him with an amused expression. Rukia started laughing.

"Oh, Ichigo, have more confidence in yourself," Rukia said, patting his back. "You're not that ugly."

"I never said I thought I was ugly!"

Rukia laughed. "I'm kidding. But it was a little surprising that you told Renji and not me. I mean, we are best friends right?"

Ichigo groaned inwardly. Rukia always played the guilt game with him when he hid something from her. She pouted at him slightly. Ichigo gave Renji a hard look.

"Renji wasn't supposed to know either," Ichigo told her, trying to make her feel better.

"Well, how did he know then?"

"He…eh…," Ichigo trailed off, trying to think of an excuse. Saying 'oh, he basically blackmailed me' wouldn't work so well.

"I read his diary," Renji said, sounding unsure.

Rukia snickered. "I should have guessed. I found Ichigo's diary in sixth grade once. I thought I told him to hide it better…"

"Oops," Ichigo responded with a forced laugh.

He rolled his eyes at Renji. Renji couldn't have thought of a better excuse, could he? Ichigo hadn't written in a diary since sixth grade!"

Rukia smirked smugly. "Well, I knew it. But you guys wouldn't be keeping any other secrets from me, would you?"

Renji and Ichigo's eyes met once more, looking wary. Ichigo turned back to Rukia, shaking his head.

"No…"

It was for her own good that she didn't know about the whole gang thing. Ichigo didn't want to put her in danger, even if that meant he had to lie to her. But he still felt guilty.

"That reminds me! Ichigo, are you going on the beach trip on Saturday?" Rukia asked suddenly, looking excited. "I am!"

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah, I got the papers signed last night. I'm going to give them to Mr. Jeagerjaques next period."

"It's too bad he's not coming, huh," Rukia responded with a sigh. "You guys could have had fun," she added with a wink.

Ichigo took deep breath and let it out slowly. Now he would have to put up with Rukia's teasing. He shot Renji another glare and he sent him an apologetic look.

"Are you going, Renji?" Rukia asked, oblivious to Ichigo's glare to him.

Renji turned to her and shook his head. "I have to work."

"You work?" Ichigo questioned, looking surprised.

Renji smirked. "Now I do. I got a part time job at the supermarket downtown."

"Lucky," Rukia said, frowning. "I need a job."

"Me too," Ichigo agreed.

"I'd say I'd hook you up, but they aren't looking for any more help," Renji explained with a shrug.

"Speaking of downtown, did you hear they found three guys knocked out at a towing place?" Rukia started, lowering her voice. "It seems like there was a fight there."

Ichigo froze, locking gazes with Renji once more.

"Um, no, where'd you hear that?" Ichigo asked, forcing himself to sound calm.

"It was on the news," Rukia responded. "But isn't it weird? There haven't been any fights in our town in so long…well ones bed enough to make the news."

"Maybe it wasn't a fight," Renji suggested. "Maybe they were just passed out from drinking too much."

"But they were injured," Rukia said. "And one had a bat. Definitely a fight."

Ichigo forced out a laugh. "Well, it doesn't involve us."

"True," Rukia responded with a nod.

The bell rang, signaling lunch was over. Ichigo sighed in relief. He didn't want Rukia to get suspicious. However, his sigh of relief turned to a groan. He still hadn't brought up his tray up.

"Better hurry and bring your tray up so you aren't late for literature," Renji taunted before following Rukia out of the cafeteria.

"Shoot!" Ichigo muttered, grabbing his tray and heading towards the front of the cafeteria.

He carefully maneuvered himself through the crowds of people, making sure to not have his tray bump into anyone. Ichigo made it to the trash can safely, but when he was about to dump his food someone knocked into his hand, making him drop the tray. He groaned and turned to glare at the person. Mr. Jeagerjaques stared back, looking amused.

"Ichigo…sorry about that," he apologized, trying to hide a grin.

Ichigo's eyes opened wider and he immediately looked down at the ground, his face heating up slightly. He was the one person Ichigo did not want to see right now. Granted he was about to see him in class, but that wouldn't have been just the two of them. He appeared in Ichigo's vision again, grabbing his lunch tray. Ichigo watched as he brought it to the lunch lady. They chatted for a moment and then Mr. Jeagerjaques came back over to him.

"So, did Tsukishima try anything in the car last night?"

Ichigo looked up at Mr. Jeagerjaques in surprise. "What? No."

Mr. Jeagerjaques stared at him for a moment, and then nodded. "Good."

Ichigo frowned back. "Why does it matter, even if he had? Maybe he did, I could be lying to you."

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked at him in amusement. "Ichigo, you wouldn't lie to me."

"I wouldn't be so sure."

He sighed, ruffling Ichigo's hair. Ichigo pulled away with a frown.

"If you're jealous, just say it."

"What?" Ichigo responded, his face turning red. "I'm not—"

"I mean, anybody would be jealous if I want on a date that wasn't with them, right?" Mr. Jeagerjaques continued, smirking.

Ichigo glowered at him, pushing his hand off his head. "You are so narcissistic."

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled. "I was kidding, Ichigo."

Ichigo gave him a blank look and his teacher sighed.

"Anyway, you don't have to stay after today," he told him, rubbing his head.

"Eh? Why not," Ichigo asked, a little disappointed.

Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked. "I've got to go out…"

"Another date?" Ichigo responded, his heart beating faster.

"If you mean like last night's date, then yes."

Mr. Jeagerjaques watched him carefully. Ichigo struggled to keep his face straight. He wouldn't let him know he was jealous. Why was he even telling him that? He could have just said he was busy! Ichigo clenched his fist. Two could play at this game. He smiled, making Mr. Jeagerjaques raise an eyebrow.

"How perfect does that work? Tsukishima asked if he could take me out after school today. I told him no since I had to help you, but now I don't. I'll just give him a call."

Mr. Jeagerjaques' eyes widened in surprise, but they quickly returned to their normal state. A frown slipped onto his face.

"How do you know Tsukishima's number?"

"He gave it to me," Ichigo responded simply.

"Oh, really?" Mr. Jeagerjaques said, narrowing his eyes.

"Yeah, want me to prove it?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques nodded. "Prove it."

Ichigo pulled out his cellphone and flipped through the contacts until he got to Tsukishima's. He held it up to Mr. Jeagerjaques. "See?"

He smirked, taking his cellphone out of his hand. "Confiscated. No cellphone use in school, Mr. Kurosaki."

Ichigo stared at him with his mouth open. Was he joking? He had to be joking. The bell rang and he jumped. Mr. Jeagerjaques shook his head at him.

"Now you're late."

"Give me my phone!" Ichigo demanded, reaching for his hand.

"Nope," he responded simply, putting the phone into his pocket. "You know the rules, Mr. Kurosaki. You can have it back when your dad comes and gets it from the school."

"You asked me to prove it!'

"I didn't ask you to take out your phone."

Ichigo shook his head angrily. "You're unbelievable, you know that?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques simply shrugged. "Rules are rules. And you're also late… But since I have a date after school, I can't give you a detention."

"You can't give me one in the first place," Ichigo pointed out, putting his hands on his hips. "Remember what you told me?'

"Remember Renji punching me in the face?"

Ichigo glared at him for a few moments. He simpered back, looking highly amused. Ichigo huffed angrily and turned around, stalking away from him.

"Where are you going?" Mr. Jeagerjaques called.

Ichigo turned around, narrowing his eyes. "To class."

For once, Ichigo was glad there were empty seats in the back of the classroom. He went to the one near Renji and sat down, scowling. Mr. Jeagerjaques entered the room a few seconds later looking pleased with himself.

"Sorry I'm late," he apologized to the class.

He went straight into a lecture about early American literature. Ichigo glared moodily at him the entire time, and every time he looked at Ichigo he'd smirk in amusement. He clenched his fists.

Why would he take his cellphone away? Ichigo knew he was a jerk, but that was a total ass move. Did Ichigo do something to upset him? Or did he just like teasing him? Ichigo scowled when he realized it was probably the latter. Either that or he didn't want Ichigo to contact Tsukishima…Ichigo's eyes widened in realization. That could be it! That was why he took his cellphone away. He didn't want Ichigo to get in touch with Tsukishima. But what did that mean? He let out a quick rush of air. Was Mr. Jeagerjaques jealous of Tsukishima?

Ichigo smirked to himself, tapping his desk. Two really could play at the jealousy game, couldn't they? Ichigo sent Mr. Jeagerjaques a sweet smile when they caught eye contact again. He looked confused and stumbled on his words. Ichigo laughed.

This would be fun.

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter twenty-six. Grimmjow is such a naughty kitty stealing Ichi-berry's phone! Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. I really do live for the reviews and it helps me immensely want to continue writing a story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	27. Chapter 27: Old Hideout

"Rukia!" Ichigo called, running down the hall after her. "Rukia!"

She stopped and turned around, waiting for him to catch up with her. He paused beside her, trying to regain his breath.

"I've run around this whole school looking for you!" Ichigo explained, holding his side.

"Why?" Rukia responded, looking slightly amused.

"Want to walk home with me?"

Rukia raised her eyebrow at his request. Well, it sounded more like he begged her rather than asked her.

"Why are you asking?"

"Because lately we haven't been walking home together since I've been getting rides, or you've been getting rides…mostly you," Ichigo said, narrowing his eyes accusingly. "And it's too boring to walk home alone."

Rukia smiled sheepishly. "Actually…"

"Rukia!" A new voice called, and Rukia looked behind him, a smile spreading on her face.

Ichigo turned around and Kaien grinned at him.

"Oh," Ichigo responded in defeat. "You're going home with him?"

"Him?' Kaien responded, sniffing. "I do have a name."

"Sorry," Rukia responded, bowing her head. "It's our one and half year anniversary so…"

Ichigo waved his hand. "Don't worry. You two go have fun."

Kaien grinned, wrapping an arm around Rukia's shoulder. "You can join us if you want, Ichigo."

"Nah, I don't want to intrude," Ichigo told him.

You need to get a boyfriend so we can double date," Kaien commented, frowning slightly.

Rukia laughed. "Oh, trust me. We couldn't double date with the guy he's got his sights on."

"Rukia!" Ichigo warned, glaring.

"Don't worry. I can keep a secret, Ichigo."

"I know, but…"

"What are you two talking about?" Kaien interjected, looking curious.

"Never mind," Ichigo said quickly. "You two go have fun…I'm going to walk home…alone…I could be kidnapped…maybe even killed—"

"Stop being overdramatic, Ichigo," Rukia reprimanded, rolling her eyes, "See you later."

Ichigo grinned, shaking his head. "Okay, bye."

He watched as they walked off towards Kaien's locker. When they were out of sight he sighed, turning around and walking straight into someone. He winced at the contact of his face and their hard chest.

"The tables have turned," a familiar voice commented. Ichigo looked up to see Mr. Jeagerjaques smirking down at him. "Watch where you're going, Ichigo."

Ichigo scowled, stepping away from him. "Right."

He turned around and started walking for the back exit of the school. All the other students went out the front where the buses were and he didn't feel like dealing with the chaos. He heard footsteps behind him that told him Mr. Jeagerjaques was following him.

"You're not angry about me taking your phone away, are you?" He questioned, falling into step with Ichigo.

Ichigo ignored him, concentrating on the door so he didn't snap at him. He chuckled beside him.

"Or maybe you're jealous of my date again?'

Ichigo swallowed, willing himself not to talk. He couldn't let him know he was the least bit jealous, otherwise he'd mock him. Or figure out Ichigo liked him. The thought passed through his head and he almost froze in surprise. Well, he did freeze for a split second, but he forced himself to keep walking. Ichigo pushed open the doors that led outside to the parking lot.

What if Mr. Jeagerjaques did figure out he liked him? Would he ignore him? Would he be scolded? Would he get in trouble? Or maybe he would tell him that he like him too… Ichigo shook his head. Impossible.

"Ichigo!"

He heard a horn blare and a rough grip on his arm made him stumble backwards, back into Mr. Jeagerjaques' chest again. Ichigo looked at him in surprise. He stared down at Ichigo, his eyes hard.

"Don't walk out into the road without paying attention! You almost just got hit!"

Ichigo looked to his right to see a black car with tinted windows stopped about a foot away from Mr. Jeagerjaques and himself. The car door opened and, to Ichigo's surprise, someone familiar stepped out of it.

"Tsukishima?" Ichigo gasped in disbelief.

"Ichigo, Grimmjow," he greeted with a grin.

"What are you doing here?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, a frown slipping onto his face.

"I've come to pick up Ichigo."

Mr. Jeagerjaques glanced at Ichigo and he smiled smugly back at him.

"How…" Mr. Jeagerjaques trailed off, his eyes narrowing.

Ichigo shrugged. "I don't know. You took my phone away so I couldn't call him."

"Is that why you weren't answering my texts," Tsukishima commented with a frown.

Ichigo nodded, hooking a thumb towards Mr. Jeagerjaques. "He tricked me and took it away."

"That's not very nice, Grimmjow," Tsukishima commented, frowning at Mr. Jeagerjaques.

Mr. Jeagerjaques scowled slightly. Tsukishima shrugged and gestured Ichigo towards the car with a nod of his head. Ichigo nodded, walking away from Mr. Jeagerjaques and going to stand by Tsukishima.

"Where are you going?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked.

"Some place," Tsukishima responded vaguely.

"Have fun on your date," Ichigo added, doing his best to keep a straight face.

He walked the car and got into the passenger's side of the car. Tsukishima climbed into the driver's side. Mr. Jeagerjaques was hovering beside Tsukishima's window, frowning. Tsukishima rolled down his window a little bit.

"Seriously. Where are you guys going?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked.

"On a date," Tsukishima responded, a grin spreading across his face. "See ya later, Grimmjow!"

Mr. Jeagerjaques opened his mouth to respond, but Tsukishima quickly rolled up his window, cutting him off. Ichigo turned his head so Mr. Jeagerjaques couldn't see him snickering. Tsukishima pressed on the gas pedal and they left Mr. Jeagerjaques standing in the middle of the road with a scowl on his face.

He started laughing. "That was great, Tsukishima!"

Tsukishima smiled, keeping his eyes on the road. "I only think it's fair. After all, he's trying to make you jealous, so two can play at that."

Ichigo sighed. "Even though you say that, and I want to believe that, Mr. Jeagerjaques would never be jealous."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that."

"Eh?"

"Well he took your cellphone away, right? Grimmjow is an ex-gangster. Do you seriously think he enforces the school rules on people? And isn't he one of the student body's favorite teacher?"

"Well no, but…"

"Why did you even have your cellphone out?"

"He wanted me to prove I had your number," he responded, frowning. "He tricked me though. That's when he took it."

Tsukishima started laughing. Ichigo scowled at him.

"It's not funny. I need my phone and my dad works all day."

"Ichigo, did you ever think the reason he took your phone was because he didn't want you to contact me?"

"Yeah, but that's impossible."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because he's a man…and I'm a high school boy."

"That wouldn't stop me," Tsukishima pointed out, giving Ichigo a sidelong glance.

"But you said—"

"The point I'm trying to make," he started, cutting Ichigo off, "is that you should have a little bit of confidence in yourself."

"But he's got a date," Ichigo muttered, looking out the window.

"Date, Ichigo. That doesn't mean girlfriend. You and I are out on a date, aren't we? And I'm not your boyfriend…unless you want me to be."

Ichigo smiled, shaking his head. "You're right…they're just on a date."

"You can always steal him back."

"I never said I liked him," Ichigo pointed out, turning to look at Tsukishima.

"You didn't have to. It's obvious."

He blushed, quickly looking out the window again. "Is it really?"

"To everyone who has seen you interact outside of school, then yes. Well except you and Grimmjow, I guess."

He sighed. "There's no way he could like me."

Tsukishima smirked. "If you ever get the chance, look at his cellphone."

"Eh?"

Tsukishima shrugged, focusing all his attention on the road again. Ichigo watched was they passed the downtown area and soon the outskirts of town. He frowned slightly, turning back to Tsukishima.

"Where are we going?"

"It's a secret," he responded in a teasing tone.

Ichigo frowned, but let it go. He watched out the window as they pulled onto a dirt road that led into the forest. The deeper they drove into it, the denser it became. Ichigo glanced at Tsukishima nervously.

"You're not bringing me out here to kill me, are you?"

"Damn, you're onto me." Tsukishima laughed and shook his head. "No, I'm going to show you something you might appreciate."

"All the way out here?"

"Look."

He looked out the windshield and his eyes landed on a huge abandoned building. Ichigo could tell it was abandoned. The paint was peeling, the windows were broken, the lawn was overgrown, and part of the roof had collapsed.

"Oh, joy! A rape hut," Ichigo said sarcastically.

Tsukishima snorted. "A what? What the hell is that? But no…it's not 'a rape hut'. This is mine and Grimmjow's old gangs hang out place."

"Really?" Ichigo looked at the building with new respect. "What happened?"

"A few years back a storm knocked a tree into the roof, and none of us were carpenters, so we had to ditch it."

"Why not just call a carpenter?"

Tsukishima raised an eyebrow. "And exploit our hideout? I think not."

Ichigo nodded in understanding. It was kind of exciting to have a secret hideout spot. He wouldn't want anyone to know where his was if he had one. But it was a sad thing to have to abandon it.

Tsukishima parked the car and Ichigo unbuckled himself, getting out quickly. He started across the lawn, eager to look inside.

"Wait up, kiddo!" Tsukishima called after him and Ichigo heard his footfalls as he ran to catch up. "It's dangerous in there, so don't wander off alone."

"Dangerous?" Ichigo repeated, turning with a frown. "How?"

"Can't you tell? It's falling apart. I haven't been here in a few years; well no one has been here in a few years. Who knows how safe it is?"

"I still want to go inside," he complained. "We drove all the way out here."

Tsukishima looked at him for a moment, and then sighed. "Fine. But if anything happens to you, you tell Grimmjow it's not my fault."

Ichigo grinned. "Deal."

With that Ichigo turned around and hurried towards the porch, stepping up the creaky stairs. He tried the door and was pleasantly surprised to find it open. Ichigo turned around to shoot Tsukishima a grin. He smiled back, making his way slowly up the steps. Ichigo opened the door and the heavy sent of mothballs and dust filled his nose and he coughed for a second, trying to adjust himself to the musk. When he did he fully entered the house, only to be enveloped in darkness. The only light came from the door he had entered from.

"Is there a light switch in here?"

"To your left," Tsukishima responded, coming into view at the door. "But I highly doubt if—"

Light filled the room as Ichigo switched on the light switch Tsukishima was talking about. He looked at Ichigo in surprise.

"Maybe the electric company didn't notice yet?" Ichigo suggested, shrugging.

"Maybe," Tsukishima murmured in agreement.

Ichigo surveyed the room in front of him. It was very large and very bare. The only pieces of furniture in the room were a ratty old couch that was against the far left wall with a recliner to accompany it and scattered chairs against the right wall. There was a staircase on either side of the room that led up to a balcony that hovered over the last quarter of the room. It was very grand.

"What was this room used for?"

"Fights," Tsukishima replied simply. "Mock fights. Challenges. Practice."

Ichigo stared at him in awe. "You actually fought here?"

"It was out base for a reason, you know," Tsukishima responded, raising an eyebrow. "C'mon, I'll show you something cool."

"Okay."

Ichigo followed Tsukishima towards a sat of stairs on the left and Tsukishima carefully began stepping up them. Tsukishima took one step at a time, testing each stair with his weight before stepping on it fully. When they finally made it to the top without incident, he gestured Ichigo toward a door directly across the hall.

"This is our hall of fame in a way," he told Ichigo, opening the door to the room.

Ichigo peered in and furrowed his eyed in confusion. "What are all those papers on the floor?"

"What?" Tsukishima looked around him and he let out a little gasp. "What happened here?"

The room was scattered with papers all over the floor. There were also a few miscellaneous items lying around as well. Tsukishima pushed Ichigo aside and walked into the room, frowning deeply.

"I wonder who did this," he commented, squatting down and picking up one of the papers.

Ichigo walked further into the room and bent down and picked up what looked like a photograph. He turned it over to the front and was staring at a familiar face, only a few years younger.

"Tsukishima," Ichigo started, walking over to him. "Is this you?"

Tsukishima stood up, taking the photo out of his hand. He looked at it for a second and grinned. "That's me. Back when I was a junior."

"You were so cute!" Ichigo commented, taking the picture back. "I would have totally dated you."

"Hey," he said, sounding offended. "I'm only four years older now."

Ichigo ignored him, bending down and picking up another piece of paper. This time it was a news article cutout. He scanned it quickly. There was a picture of a teenager, who was a little bit handsome, on it. In a nutshell, the article was about a teen that had beaten another nearly to death.

"That's Kiba," Tsukishima commented, making him jump. "He was arrested though."

"Why is the clipping here?"

"Didn't I tell you? This is our hall of fame. Granted, everything used to be on the wall though…I really wonder who tore it all off."

"Hall of fame? As in…"

"As in you did well in a fight, your picture would be on the wall. On the back it'd say your name, age, opponent, and how long the fight took. You could also get on the wall of you got into the newspapers. There were other ways of getting on it, but I'm not going to explain."

Ichigo looked at the picture of Tsukishima when he was a junior. Sure enough, there was writing on the back. "So, it took you ten minutes to beat this guy named Ikkaku?"

Tsukishima nodded. "It wouldn't have taken so long if the bastard hadn't surprised me with a knife."

Ichigo let out a startled gasp. "Is that legal?"

Tsukishima gave an exaggerated sigh. "There's nothing illegal or legal in fighting…well, technically speaking."

"But that doesn't seem fair…"

"Nothing's fair in fighting, Ichigo," he informed him. "You'd do best to remember that."

"O-okay," Ichigo responded, turning his attention back to the papers on the floor.

He continued to look at the backs of photos and random news articles about all the different people who were in the gang. There were quite a few of Tsukishima. All the ones Ichigo found with Tsukishima he put in his pocket to save.

"Found it!"

Ichigo jumped at Tsukishima's sudden outburst. "Found what?"

"Look, look," he said excitedly, shoving a photo into Ichigo's hands.

The photo was of a very handsome teenager, who was glaring at the camera. Ichigo had to resist the urge to snicker.

"Was he always like this?"

Tsukishima laughed. "Grimmjow would never smile for any pictures…however, there is one in here."

"He's so cute. I wish I knew him when he was younger," Ichigo commented, flipping the photo over. "Eh? Why are there any names on it?"

"Because he was our gang leader."

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter twenty-seven. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. I really do live for the reviews and it helps me immensely want to continue writing a story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	28. Chapter 28: A Little Trouble

"You're kidding me."

Tsukishima laughed, taking the photo from his hands. "Hmm, I believe this was Grimmjow in his freshman year of college…"

Ichigo looked at the photo again. "No way, he's too young."

Tsukishima raised an eyebrow. "Don't you know? Grimmjow skipped two grades in middle school."

Ichigo gasped, his eyes widening. "What? Really?"

Tsukishima nodded. "He graduated at age sixteen. After that he went straight to college, and managed to graduate with his teaching degree in only three years."

His mouth was open in shock as he digested this information. Just how smart was Mr. Jeagerjaques?

"So wait…he was gang leader at age sixteen?"

"Eighteen," Tsukishima corrected him.

"Then why doesn't this picture have names?"

"This is why?"

Ichigo watched as Tsukishima unfolded a piece of paper. He handed it over and it crinkled in Ichigo's hand. The edges were yellow from age. Ichigo scanned down the paper. It was full with names and fight durations.

"It can't be…"

"Oh, yes it can. Flip the paper over."

Ichigo did as Tsukishima commanded and his eyes met more names. "This is crazy!"

"He is a crazy good fighter," Tsukishima responded. "Over one hundred matches won within half a year, two hundred by the end of it. The only reason Grimmjow didn't become gang leader as soon as he joined was because he wouldn't accept."

Ichigo shook his head in disbelief. "This isn't possible…it's almost inhuman."

"You've seen Grimmjow fight, right?"

Images of Mr. Jeagerjaques' one hit knock outs flooded his mind. Ichigo nodded his head vigorously.

"There you go."

Ichigo frowned at the photo for a few moments. "Okay…so if he joined the gang when he was either a freshman or sophomore—"

"Sophomore," Tsukishima corrected him. "And how'd you know that?"

"He told me," Ichigo responded, before returning to his thoughts. "That means he was part of the gang since he was around fourteen…then at seventeen he went to college, and was still part of the gang. At twenty he graduated…"

"Where are you going with all this?" Tsukishima commented, sounding confused.

Ichigo turned his attention to him. "Why didn't Mr. Jeagerjaques start teaching when he was twenty-one? Why wait until a year later? And he didn't quit the gang until this year, when he started teaching…so what did he do in that year between graduating and starting as a teacher?"

Tsukishima suddenly looked uncomfortable. He squatted down and began searching through the papers on the floor again, ignoring Ichigo's questions and stares. Ichigo walked over to him and lowered himself to his level.

"Tell me what Mr. Jeagerjaques did during that time, Tsukishima."

"It's not my business to tell, I'm afraid," Tsukishima responded quietly. "There's some stuff I can tell you, however, this is not something I feel I should divulge to you. Grimmjow will tell you if he wants you to know."

"Does this have to do with why your old gang wants him dead?" Ichigo demanded with his gaze hardening.

"Oh look what I found!" Tsukishima cried excitedly, standing up.

Ichigo followed suit, a small scowl on his face. "Don't ignore me, answer my question!"

"Look, Ichigo. Isn't Grimmjow so cute when he smiles? This was his graduating year at college."

Tsukishima dangled the photo in front of him. Ichigo tried to focus on it, but with the swaying of his hand, he made it impossible. He snatched it from Tsukishima's grasp and held it out in front of him. A silly smile made its way onto his face as he looked at the picture. Mr. Jeagerjaques was dressed up in a pair of faded jeans and a black button-up shirt. He was with Tsukishima, and they were both grinning at the camera, their arms wrapped around each other.

"Aren't we so cute?" Tsukishima asked with a sigh. "This picture was taken on one of those rare days when Grimmjow would actually smile."

"I feel like I'm looking at a totally different person," Ichigo told him, staring at the photo in awe. "I mean, I know Mr. Jeagerjaques is younger in this picture, but I've never seen him with this expression on."

Tsukishima nodded. "He used to be a lot more carefree before the accident…" Tsukishima trailed off, looking everywhere but at Ichigo.

"The accident?" Ichigo repeated.

"Aha, I don't know what you're talking about," Tsukishima responded, giving Ichigo a crazy look.

"But you—"

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

Ichigo's head snapped up towards the doorway and his gaze landed on a man around Mr. Jeagerjaques' age. He had combed back dark hair and stood at an alarming height. Ichigo shot a glance at Tsukishima, who was scowling at the man.

"What are you doing here, Kugo?"

Kugo? The name clicked in Ichigo's head, but he couldn't remember where he heard it from. Ichigo cursed his forgetfulness.

"I could ask you the same question," the tall man named Kugo responded, looking amused. "How dare traitors show their faces around here."

Tsukishima slowly stepped in front of Ichigo, his arm going up protectively. "This place hasn't been used for years…"

"Well you're wrong about that, aren't you?" Kugo responded sarcastically.

"Apparently."

A moment of silence passed between the two. Finally Kugo's eyes snapped onto Ichigo.

"This wouldn't happen to be the famous boy I've heard so much about, would it?"

"No," Tsukishima responded quickly. "He's my boyfriend."

"Really? He looks exactly like the boy that Ryuuji told me about…"

Ryuuji? Horror washed over Ichigo when he realized that was the man he had attacked two times now.

"Well you're wrong," Tsukishima said, glaring at Kugo. "Now if you don't mind, we'll be taking our leave."

"Not so fast."

Ichigo stared at Kugo, who smirked slightly.

"Since you are both here, shall we have some fun? I've been meaning to get back to you for ditching the gang to join Jeagerjaques' side."

Tsukishima tensed, his hands clenching into fists. "I'll fight you, but let Ichigo go."

Kugo stayed quiet for a moment before nodding. "Very well."

"What? I'm not leaving you here," Ichigo whispered urgently, gripping onto Tsukishima.

"The most important thing is to keep you safe," he whispered back, never taking his eyes off Kugo.

"Shall we escort her outside then?"

Tsukishima nodded. "Let's go."

"I'm not leaving without you," Ichigo repeated stubbornly. "Even if you leave me outside, I'm coming back in to get you."

Tsukishima looked at him, an amused expression on his face.

"Now I know why Grimmjow does what he does."

Before Ichigo could ask him what he meant by that, he was across the room. He grabbed the surprised Kugo's shirt and yanked him into the room. Tsukishima turned and sent a punch into Kugo's face, which made him stagger back.

"Run!" Tsukishima ordered, gesturing Ichigo towards him.

Ichigo maneuvered himself around the shocked man and followed Tsukishima out the door. Tsukishima slammed it behind Ichigo and began ushering Ichigo towards the staircase. He stopped when he noticed two men coming up the stairs towards them.

Tsukishima clicked his tongue. "Ichigo, go down the other way. I'll take these two and meet you at the front door. No arguing. Go."

Ichigo nodded and took off in a sprint across the balcony. He heard the sound of Tsukishima talking to the two thugs that were coming up the stairs and then the unmistakable sound of someone being punched. Ichigo winced slightly, hoping it wasn't Tsukishima.

He was about ten feet away from the stairs when someone grabbed his hair. Ichigo cried out in shock, coming to an immediate halt.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Ichigo turned to glare at Kugo, who let go of his hair. He gripped Ichigo's forearm tightly with one of his hands instead.

"I don't have time for this," Ichigo said, and with that he brought his fist as hard as he could into Kugo's face.

Instead of letting go of him, like he thought he would, his grasp tightened and he looked at Ichigo in amusement.

"You must be the girly boy Ryuuji was talking about, you're feisty," he commented. "But you're still pretty much a girl, and that punch was weak."

Ichigo scowled. "Then we do this the old fashioned way."

Kugo stared at him curiously. He brought his knee up as hard as he could into his crotch. This time he let go of Ichigo in surprise and Ichigo twisted on his heel, fleeing before he got over his shock. Ichigo shook his hand lightly. That had definitely not been a weak punch. And Mr. Jeagerjaques had even said he had a good punch. Who was this guy? Why was he so tough? Ichigo was lucky he managed to surprise him with his knee attack; otherwise he wouldn't have been able to escape.

He came to the stairs and quickly descended them. On the fourth stair he stepped on, his foot went through it, followed quickly by the rest of his body. Ichigo screamed in surprise, as his body plummeted down the rotten step. He frantically grabbed onto the step above him, catching himself before he fell all the way. Ichigo immediately tried pulling himself back up, but almost just as quickly found it to be impossible. He had no upper body strength. Ichigo struggled for a minute more, trying to force himself up, but only made his arms more tired. He grunted as he hung in the air, frustrated. He'd definitely break a leg, or ankle, or something if he just dropped down. A sudden pressure was applied to his fingers and he cried out in pain.

"You think you can get away after doing that to me? Who do you think you are?"

Ichigo couldn't see who it was, but the voice told him it was Kugo. He scowled. Couldn't he stay in pain for at least a minute longer?

"I think it'd be fun to let you fall, so that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Ichigo winced as he ground his heel into his fingers, making them ache painfully. After a few seconds, he already felt like they were going to break.

"Stop!" Ichigo begged, his hands becoming slippery with sweat.

"I can't hear you," he taunted, switching to Ichigo's other hand.

Ichigo hissed in pain, trying to control the shaking of his other abused hand. His arms screamed in protest to the unusual treatment of his muscles. He groaned in frustration.

"You're tough. But you won't be tough when I break your fingers."

Ichigo sucked in a breath when he took his foot away. Was he going to stomp on them?

"Ichigo, let go!" A voice cried from under him.

Without a second thought, Ichigo shut his eyes and let go of the staircase. A piece of the stair scratched his cheek as his head went by it. He screamed as he fell through the air for a split second and then abruptly cut if off when he landed in someone's arms. Ichigo opened his eyes to see Tsukishima staring at him.

"Let's go," he demanded, putting him down and grabbed his hand.

He yanked Ichigo towards the door, running faster than Ichigo could keep up with. Tsukishima forced him out and then slammed the door behind him. Ichigo was quickly ushered down the stairs and to the car.

"Get in," he demanded.

Ichigo didn't hesitate to wrench open the car door open and hop in. Tsukishima did the same and stuffed the car keys into the ignition. He started it in one swift movement and peeled out of the driveway. Soon, they were speeding down the dirt road away from the house. Ichigo let out a deep sigh of relief, trying to catch his breath.

"I, for one, am sure glad we didn't have a horror movie scene where the car wouldn't start," Ichigo commented, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter twenty-eight. A bit of action and finally you all get to meet Kugo. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. I really do live for the reviews and it helps me immensely want to continue writing a story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	29. Chapter 29: Unexpected Surprise

"Are you hungry?"

Ichigo glanced at Tsukishima, who was looking at him from the corner of his eye. He shook his head, shifting in his seat. Ichigo stifled a yawn, turning to look out the window again. It was night already and he could barely make out blurred objects as they drove by them.

"It's hard to believe it's almost October, huh?"

"I'll say," Ichigo responded. "It feels like a years gone by in such a short amount of time."

"Well a lot had been going on. Isn't your class trip tomorrow?"

"Oh, yeah!" Ichigo sat up straighter, shock passing his face. "I haven't even packed or asked my dad for money yet."

"I wish I could go," Tsukishima said with a sigh. "I want to go to the beach while the weather is still okay…"

"To be honest, I don't know why we are going in October since it's been chilly lately, but it's supposed to be warm tomorrow. Why don't you just come down for fun?" Ichigo suggested.

"Can't. I've got to watch my sisters," Tsukishima responded, his eyes on the road.

"You have sisters?"

"Yup."

"How old?"

"I have a thirteen year old sister and a seven year old sister," he told him, smiling slightly. "They're cute. You'll have to meet them sometime."

"Sure," Ichigo responded, smiling too now.

They lapsed back into silence as they entered the downtown area. As they passed the grocery store, Ichigo vaguely wondered if Renji was working. Ichigo sigh softly. He wanted a job, too.

Tsukishima pulled into Ichigo's driveway and he unbuckled himself, grabbing his backpack from the floor. He turned to Ichigo and smirked slightly.

"Get a wipe out of the glove box and wipe your face," he suggested. "It's bloody from where you got cut."

Ichigo sucked in a quick breath. Good thing Tsukishima had caught that, because he wouldn't have remembered. He quickly opened the glove compartment and fished around until he grabbed a wipe. Ichigo tore open the package and pulled down the visor. To his dismay, there was no mirror.

"Let me do it," Tsukishima offered.

Ichigo nodded and handed him the wipe. Tsukishima grabbed his head and turned it towards him, and gently began to wipe off his cheek. Ichigo hissed slightly.

"Why does it hurt?"

"It's got disinfectant," he responded, wiping Ichigo's cheek a little more roughly now. "My sisters fall down a lot, so I have these things handy."

"Oh," Ichigo responded, wincing as his cheek throbbed.

When he was done, Tsukishima chucked the dirty wipe into the back seat and turned to Ichigo once more. "Well it's been an interesting day," he commented. "Will Grimmjow be hearing about this?"

"No way," Ichigo responded quickly, shaking his head. "I think he might kill me if he found out I got involved with gangsters again…especially if it's the leader."

Tsukishima chuckled. "Good point. Have a good night, kiddo. Have fun at the beach tomorrow, too."

"I'll try," Ichigo responded with a small smile. "Tell your sisters I said 'hi'."

"Sure."

Ichigo climbed out of the car and shut the door behind him. He waved to Tsukishima before heading towards the house. Ichigo could barely make out anything in front of him due to the darkness. Had Tsukishima and Ichigo really been gone that long?

Out of habit, Ichigo tested the door handle while reaching for his key with his other hand. He blinked in shock when he found the door open. Ichigo pushed it open slowly, frowning. Was his dad home early? Ichigo walked in and the scent of coffee filled the air. He inhaled, following the smell towards the kitchen. Yep, it was definitely his dad. Ichigo yawned, pushing open the kitchen door.

"Dad, why are you home early?"

"Dad?" A masculine voice that wasn't his father's responded sounding amused.

Ichigo's eyes snapped open and he came face-to-face with Mr. Jeagerjaques. He raised an eyebrow as Ichigo felt his face begin to heat up. With his eyes wide, Ichigo looked past him to see his dad sitting at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee. His dad watched him for a moment and then stood up. Ichigo watched him warily as he came to a stop right in front of him. The teen braced himself, preparing for the worst.

"Welcome home!" He cried, throwing Ichigo into a big hug. "How was school? Was everyone nice to you? I hope so! I don't want to have to make any calls to the principal!"

Yep. His dad was a doting father.

Ichigo rolled his eyes, giving his dad a short squeeze before trying to squirm out of his grasp. "Today was great, dad."

"And your date? How come I've never met this man before?" He continued, beginning to frown. "How old is he?"

Ichigo shot Mr. Jeagerjaques a glare. He was biting his lip, trying not to laugh. That only made Ichigo more irritated.

"Dad, why is my teacher here?" Ichigo asked, trying to change the topic.

His dad grinned, pulling Ichigo over to Mr. Jeagerjaques. By now he had his laughter under control and he was smiling pleasantly at his dad.

"We ran into each other at the grocery store," Mr. Jeagerjaques explained, a smirk on his face.

"Literally," his dad interjected. "And then I found out he was your teacher, so I invited him here to have dinner. He's so young and handsome, how come you haven't mention him before, Ichigo?"

"He's never mentioned me?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, frowning slightly.

"When we have time together, dad, I'd rather not talk about school," Ichigo told him. "Since you're so busy all the time, it just never came up."

His dad nodded. "I see." He turned to Mr. Jeagerjaques. "Work keeps me busy so I'm almost never home."

Mr. Jeagerjaques nodded his head understandingly. "I'm sure being a single dad with a…teenage son must be hard."

Ichigo scowled at Mr. Jeagerjaques for a second. He knew his teacher was going to say something offensive about him before he corrected himself. Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked back. His dad was oblivious to the exchange completely.

"Well, shall I get supper started then?" He asked, looking between Grimmjow and Ichigo.

"You won't," Ichigo told him, an amused smirk slipping onto his face. "Face it, dad, you can't cook at all."

His dad pouted childishly at having his lack of culinary skills exposed. "I could still try…"

"I can cook something," Grimmjow offered. "Believe it or not, I'm a good cook."

Ichigo's dad turned to him with a grin on his face. "Really?"

"Really."

"Well, it's settled then. Ichigo, would you help him?"

"Uh…"

"Good!" His dad said with a smile, putting a hand on Ichigo's back. "I'm sure the two of you can figure out something good. There are steaks in the fridge. If we don't cook them soon, they might go bad. There are also onions in there, too, and some potatoes. It could make a good dinner—"

"Dad," Ichigo started, cutting him off, "if you want a steak dinner, you just have to ask."

He laughed sheepishly. "Right…sorry."

"No worries, I can make a great steak," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, a charming smile on his face.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. Was he trying to get together with his dad? That was gross!

"Great!" Isshin responded enthusiastically. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll take this moment to make a few business calls…"

Ichigo's dad smiled at Grimmjow again and ruffled Ichigo's hair before leaving the room. Ichigo frowned, trying to smooth his hair out. Mr. Jeagerjaques watched him with an amused smirk. Ichigo turned his frown onto him.

"What?"

"I didn't know your dad was a doting parent," he commented.

Ichigo shrugged. "He wasn't always. He used to be more manageable before my mom died."

"You can sit in that chair right there," Mr. Jeagerjaques pointed to one of the kitchen chairs, "and let me do the cooking. It seems like you had a rough day."

"Huh?" Ichigo responded, raising an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques gave him a flat look. Ichigo returned it with his own confused one. He started walking towards Ichigo and he stood his ground. Mr. Jeagerjaques stopped about a foot away and raised his hand up to Ichigo's face. Ichigo jumped slightly when he felt his teacher's hand on his cheek. He looked up at him and his piercing gaze made Ichigo's face heat up.

"There's a cut on your cheek," he commented, running his thumb over it, sending tingles to Ichigo's toes. "Your shirt sleeve has a hole in it and you have bruised knuckles."

Ichigo looked down at his hands in surprise. Like Mr. Jeagerjaques said, on his right hand his four base knuckles from where Kugo had stepped on him were bruised. Ichigo looked back up at Mr. Jeagerjaques in shock. How had he noticed that?

"Should we talk about this now or later?" He demanded, his mouth twisting into a frown.

"There's nothing to talk about," Ichigo responded, realizing his teacher's hand was still on his face and pushing it away. "Nothing happened."

He rolled his eyes. "Haven't I told you that you can't lie to me before?"

"I'm not lying," Ichigo stated stubbornly.

"Fine," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded simply, turning around and walking away from Ichigo. "I trust you enough to believe you."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes slightly. Was he trying to make him feel guilty? Well, it wouldn't work. Ichigo could handle the guilt. After all, he had to handle the guilt of lying to Rukia anyway.

"I'll just beat the truth out of Tsukishima."

Ichigo sighed, hanging his head in defeat. "No, don't do that."

"So, you'll tell me?"

He bit his lip, staring at the floor. "You won't like it…"

There was a sudden hand on his shoulder and he jumped slightly, unaware that Mr. Jeagerjaques had come back across the kitchen again. His eyes pierced into Ichigo's again and he had to look away.

"Ichigo, I know I won't like it, but it's important that you tell me if something has happened."

"Don't be mad at Tsukishima," Ichigo said in a quiet voice.

"Stop worrying about Tsukishima, Ichigo!" Mr. Jeagerjaques demanded, sounding slightly angry. "Worry about yourself!"

Ichigo looked at him, a bit taken aback. His gaze was hard and Ichigo swallowed nervously.

"Tsukishima, uh…," Ichigo struggled to form a coherent thought. With Mr. Jeagerjaques so close to him and how nervous he was, it wasn't working so smoothly.

"Tsukishima?" Mr. Jeagerjaques urged, taking a step away from him.

He immediately relaxed and looked up at him, frowning. "Tsukishima took me to your old gang hideout…"

Mr. Jeagerjaques tensed, but didn't say anything, so he continued.

"And after a while this guy from the gang came and we had to leave. And I fell down the stairs," Ichigo told him, cutting out a lot of the story. "Well I didn't technically fall down the stairs, I actually fell through a step and that's how I got the cut on my cheek, but Tsukishima was below to catch me."

Mr. Jeagerjaques pursed his lips. "Ichigo, it's obvious you left a lot out."

Ichigo scratched his head, looking back at the ground. "This guy had back up…so Tsukishima took out the back up…while the guy came after me…and well he didn't do anything," he said quickly, catching a look of Mr. Jeagerjaques' dark face. "When I fell, he just stepped on my fingers, so I guess that's how I got the bruises. Or maybe it was when I punched him, but that didn't affect him at all…"

Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed, shaking his head. "Ichigo…"

"But Kugo had me and I didn't want to die!" Ichigo said in defense.

"Kugo?" Mr. Jeagerjaques repeated in a serious tone.

Ichigo mentally slapped himself in the face. He wasn't going to tell Mr. Jeagerjaques it had been Kugo who found them.

"I'm going to murder Tsukishima," Mr. Jeagerjaques muttered dangerously under his breath. "That little brat…"

"It's not his fault!"

"Kugo, Ichigo, is the leader. You attacked the leader! Are you stupid?"

"Sorry for wanting to defend myself," Ichigo responded, clenching his fists. "While you were enjoying your stupid date, I could have been injured or killed. Do you really think I'd just let him do whatever he wanted to me?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "I'm sorry, Ichigo."

"It's okay," he responded softly.

"You just don't understand how serious this is."

"Then tell me!"

Mr. Jeagerjaques shook his head. "I can't."

"Why not?" Ichigo demanded, crossing his arms. "It's all secrets with you, all the time! Don't you even trust me a little?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques gazed at him for a moment, before turning to the fridge. "Sit. I'm going to get dinner started, Ichigo."

Ichigo went over to the chair and slumped to the table, watching as Mr. Jeagerjaques rummaged through the kitchen. He couldn't pull himself away from looking at him. His unruly blue hair, his sturdy build, and his beautiful blue eyes whenever he'd take a quick glance at him. When their eyes met, Ichigo blushed and looked away. He pressed his forehead against the tabletop. Why hadn't he answered him when he asked if he trusted him a little bit? Did that mean he didn't? Or was he just teasing him again? Ichigo sighed quietly. Why did he have to fall for such a confusing guy? Not only that, but he was almost five years older than him and he was a teacher. Hell, Ichigo's dad probably had a better chance with him than Ichigo did. Ichigo laughed silently at that. His dad was young, but not that young. And it didn't matter anyway. Mr. Jeagerjaques had a girlfriend now. Or at least, he was dating someone. He let out a quiet frustrated sigh.

"Here."

He looked up to see a steaming mug placed in front of him. Ichigo looked up at Mr. Jeagerjaques, who was frowning slightly.

"Thanks," Ichigo said slowly, pulling the mug closer to him and peering into it.

"Hot chocolate," he told Ichigo, "but I added a few extra ingredients."

"Oh."

Ichigo took a sip of the liquid, surprised when it didn't burn his tongue. The taste was even more surprising.

"What's in here? It's really good."

Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked. "It's a secret."

Before he could reply, Mr. Jeagerjaques turned and walked back to the stove, where he was now cooking the steaks. Ichigo frowned for a moment, before returning his attention to the hot chocolate his teacher had made him. He was really beginning to detest secrets. Ichigo took another sip, savoring the taste.

By the time he finished the hot chocolate, Mr. Jeagerjaques had finished dinner. Ichigo's dad entered the kitchen just in time. His dad looked very pleased.

"Something smells wonderful," Isshin commented, taking a seat next to Ichigo at the kitchen table.

"Here," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, placing a plateful of food in front of him.

"Thank you," Isshin responded.

Mr. Jeagerjaques nodded and placed a plate in front of Ichigo. Ichigo nodded his thanks and watched as his teacher sat down across the table from him with his own plate. Isshin was the first to take a bite. He moaned his approval. Ichigo blushed, embarrassed by his dad's reaction.

"If you were twenty years older and swung that way, I would marry you," Isshin commented, a smile on his face.

"If only," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded with a laugh.

Ichigo rolled his eyes, cutting off a piece of steak and putting it in his mouth. He frowned when he realized how good it actually was. Not that he'd tell Mr. Jeagerjaques that after what his dad said.

"You can marry Ichigo instead."

Ichigo choked on his steak, banging his hand on the table in an automatic reaction. His dad looked at him worriedly. Ichigo coughed, trying to dislodge the piece of meat from his airway. When he had finally managed to, he still continued coughing, his face hot in embarrassment.

"D-dad," Ichigo started, turning towards him. "Don't say those things. He's my teacher."

"Only for a year longer," he responded, wagging his eyebrows.

Ichigo looked down at his plate, too embarrassed to look at Mr. Jeagerjaques. He had to remember never to let his dad and Mr. Jeagerjaques meet ever again, even if he had to murder to stop it.

Isshin and Mr. Jeagerjaques for into an animated chat as Ichigo silently ate his dinner, refusing to look up from his plate. He made sure to eat slowly, so he wouldn't be the first one to finish. When he finally finished, he noticed his dad and Mr. Jeagerjaques were long since finished eating.

Isshin yawned and stood up. "Let's clear up. I want to go to bed soon."

Ichigo stood up with him. "I'll take care of it. You can head up to bed now if you want."

"You sure?"

Ichigo nodded, shooing him with his hand. "It's fine. Go rest."

Isshin nodded and turned to Mr. Jeagerjaques. "Well, thanks for coming to dinner…and making it."

"No problem, thank you for having me over, and sorry for running into you," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded in a polite tone.

"Don't worry about it! Let's do this again sometime."

Ichigo looked at his dad in mock horror. Something like this should never happen again!

"Of course," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, contrary to Ichigo's thoughts.

Ichigo sighed, watching as his dad bid one last goodbye before going to his room. He started picking up the plates and a hand snatched them away from him. Ichigo looked up to see Mr. Jeagerjaques carrying them towards the kitchen.

"I can do it," Ichigo protested, following him.

"Shut up and let me do it."

He scowled slightly, but let it go. If he wanted to help him out, Ichigo wasn't going to stop him. It was rare and he should enjoy it while he could. Ichigo watched as he put the dishes in the dishwasher after rinsing them off. He was a little impressed. Most guys who lived alone slacked in the cleaning area. Mr. Jeagerjaques smirked at him when he finished.

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing," Ichigo responded, a blush spreading on his face. He really needed to stop blushing.

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled. "Sure."

"Really."

"Whatever you say, Ichigo."

Ichigo ignored his jibe and turned his attention to his hands. "Sorry about my dad. He's…"

"Amusing," Mr. Jeagerjaques finished for him. "Nothing to apologize about."

Ichigo smiled slightly. "Right."

"But, I'm going to head home now," he told Ichigo, stifling a yawn. "I'll see you Monday."

Disappointment washed over him when he remembered Mr. Jeagerjaques wasn't going on the beach trip tomorrow. Ichigo shook it away. He could still have fun with his friends.

"Yeah, okay," he said, following him to the door.

He opened it and turned back to Ichigo before exiting. "Goodnight, Ichigo."

"Night, Mr. Jeagerjaques."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Grimmjow," Ichigo corrected himself, feeling a blush coming up again, but he fought it back. "Goodnight, Grimmjow."

He smirked, stepping out the door. Ichigo sighed in relief and went to lock it, but it suddenly flew back open, smacking him in the face.

"Ow!"

"Sorry," Mr. Jeagerjaques apologized sounding more entertained than amused. "But I forgot to give you this."

Ichigo looked at him in confusion, before looking down at his hand. In it was his cellphone.

"It's a Friday and you're going out tomorrow, so I wanted to return it," he explained, giving it to Ichigo. "Now that's it. Goodbye."

"Thank you," Ichigo called before the door shut.

Ichigo grinned, looking at the phone in his hand. Mr. Jeagerjaques could be unexpectedly nice. He flipped open his phone to check his text messages. Ichigo stared in surprise at his background. Instead of Renji and him as his background image as it was before, it was now replaced by Mr. Jeagerjaques making a funny face. He couldn't help but laugh at it. And he wasn't going to change it back either.

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter twenty-nine. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. I really do live for the reviews and it helps me immensely want to continue writing a story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	30. Chapter 30: The Beach

"Ichigo, let's go swimming!"

Ichigo looked up at Rukia as she hovered over him, her hands on her hips. He raised an eyebrow.

"Right now?"

"We've been here for four hours, and all you've done is sit there and be depressed," she accused.

"I haven't been depressed," Ichigo responded, frowning. "What is there to be depressed about?"

"Hmm, let me think," she started, putting a finger to her chin. "Could it be that Mr. Jeagerjaques isn't here?"

"What? No! I-I…it isn't that," he stuttered, feeling his face heat up.

Rukia rolled her eyes. "I don't see why you don't just tell him you like him."

"Shh! Lower your voice!"

"Sorry," she said, quieting her voice. "But if you like him, I think you should just tell him."

"I can't!" Ichigo cried, his eyes widening. "Rukia, you don't understand the situation."

"What's the situation?"

"Oh, I don't know…he's a teacher and I'm a student?"

"And?"

"That's illegal, Rukia."

Rukia waved her hand. "You're a senior. It shouldn't matter."

"He doesn't like me," he continued, digging a hole in the sand with his bare foot and burying it in it.

Rukia heaved a sigh, shaking her head. "You don't know that."

"He's got a girlfriend."

Rukia's eyes widened in surprise. "Did he tell you that?"

"Well, not in those words," he responded, biting his lip. "But lately he's been going on dates."

Rukia rolled her eyes. "Ichigo, it sounds to me like your making up excuses not to like him."

Ichigo gaped at Rukia, unable to think of a reply. She frowned at him, crossing her arms. Was he making up excuses not to like him? No, that wasn't it. He was just being rational. Yeah!

"I'm just being rational," Ichigo explained, furrowing his eyebrows. "I don't want to get my hopes up."

"Well, even if he doesn't like you, there's something about you to him," she pressed. "Why else would he keep making you stay after school?"

"Because he's a blackmailing devil," he muttered.

Rukia sighed. "Ichigo. C'mon."

He glanced up at her with a frown. "Rukia, let's forget about it. It's wrong and impossible, and I just don't want to think about it anymore, okay?"

"Fine you keep making up excuses," Rukia responded, her face serious. "But when he stops chasing after you and you lose any chance you have with him, don't come crying to me. You need to stop think of wrong and right, Ichigo, because when it comes to love there's no such thing. When you love someone, nothing should be able to come between the two of you. You're just going to be hurting yourself thinking along the lines as 'he can't hurt me, it's impossible'. Nothing is impossible."

And with that, she turned and started walking away from him. He watched her walk away, his mouth hanging open slightly. His best friend had just scolded him about love. Her words sunk in to his mind and he knew she was right. Ichigo groaned, putting his head in his hands.

He was making up excuses. But it wasn't that he didn't like Mr. Jeagerjaques, no, he knew he liked him, loved him. But what was there not to love? He had beautiful azure eyes that seemed to pierce right into your soul. His somewhat messy blue hair could make him look boyishly cute or look like a young handsome man. Sure, he had a split personality, but it was sort of a charm point.

Ichigo groaned again. But there was something else that kept him from really accepting his feelings, something he didn't want to admit to himself. He didn't know anything about Mr. Jeagerjaques. What Ichigo liked was his looks, actions, and personality. But he didn't know a single thing about his past, besides that he was a gang leader and he did something that now has the gang wanting him dead. And Ichigo didn't know what that was. What if it was something really bad? Would that change his views of Mr. Jeagerjaques?

Ichigo rubbed his forehead, trying to clear his thoughts. For now, he couldn't let Mr. Jeagerjaques know of his feelings. He didn't want him to think that they weren't real. That he was just like all the other girls at school. For now, he'd deal with his unrequited love, even if it hurt. Ichigo could deal with it.

His phone suddenly went off and he jumped, his heart rate spiking. Ichigo reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. The caller ID showed Renji. He flipped his phone open and put it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Ichigo! How's the beach?"

"Okay."

"You sound excited," he commented with a chuckle.

Ichigo laughed. "Don't I? I thought you were working."

"I am," Renji responded. "I'm on break."

"Oh. How late do you have to work till?"

"Closing."

"Fun," Ichigo responded, playing in the sand with his feet again.

"Is Jeagerjaques there?"

"No."

"That's why you sound so depressed."

He opened his mouth in shock, narrowing his eyes. "I'm not depressed! You're just like Rukia!"

"Hey, I'm just stating the truth," Renji defended, amusement in his voice. "Admit it."

"Have a good shift, Renji!"

"Ichigo—"

Ichigo snapped his phone shut in a huff, blushing furiously. He wasn't depressed! Ichigo was just…

He looked around him to see he was the only one sitting on the beach, dressed fully. Everyone else was running around the beach playing Frisbee, volleyball, or they were playing in the water.

Ichigo scowled. He wasn't depressed. Kicking up the sand, he stood up, marching towards the changing area with his bag. He didn't need Mr. Jeagerjaques to have fun.

Rukia mock wolf whistled at him when he came back to the beach after changing into his swimsuit. Ichigo blushed, glaring at her.

"Nice legs, daisy dukes, makes a man go," she paused to wolf whistle again. "Being shirtless is a nice addition."

Ichigo gave her a flat look, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Flaunt what you got, Ichigo," she told him, rolling her eyes.

Ichigo stuck his tongue out at her childishly. "Sorry, I like to have some modesty."

She just rolled her eyes at him. "Come swimming."

Ichigo shook his head. "I'm going to go for a walk. I want to go check out those rocks." He pointed to the rocks in the distance that led out into the ocean.

"Oh! Can I come?"

Ichigo nodded. "No Kaien though."

They both glanced at Kaien, who was roughhousing in the water with some boys from their class. Rukia smiled for a second while staring at him, but then turned back to him, waving her hand dismissively.

"He won't even notice I'm gone."

Ichigo chuckled, running a hand through his wild hair. "Fine, let's go."

Together they started off down the beach, walking along the thin water of broken waves. Their feet splashed in the shallow water, the current trying to drag their feet back to sea. Rukia began hopping over the small waves of foam that came after the wave breaks.

"I want to skimboard," she complained, kicking a wave and sending the water spraying up at them.

Ichigo winced at the cold feeling on his arm. "Did you bring a skimboard?"

"No," she muttered moodily.

He laughed, pushing her slightly. "Then that's your own fault. Borrow one from someone."

Rukia sighed. "I guess I'll have to at some point. But it's almost curfew. I'll have to do it tomorrow."

The walk to the rocks was taking longer than he had expected. He must have misjudged the distance. The closer they got, however, the larger the rocks appeared. Rukia speed up slightly.

"Look at that!" Rukia cried with her eyes wide. "It's like a fort! Hurry, Ichigo!"

"Rukia, we still have a way to walk— argh!" Ichigo cried out as she suddenly grabbed his wrist and started sprinting. "Rukia!"

"C'mon, c'mon!"

Ichigo scowled slightly, but didn't dare to stop running. Knowing him, he'd probably end up tripping over his feet and falling into the water at his feet.

When they finally reached the rocks, they were both panting and holding stitches in their sides. Ichigo leaned against one of the large, cool, black rocks trying to catch his breath. Rukia regained her breath quicker and admired the rocks. She started climbing one and Ichigo followed in pursuit. The top of the rock was flat and stable to stand on. Rukia start hopping to the next one, which had a two feet crevice between the one he was on and it. He stepped over it cautiously, looking down to see a black hole.

"Rukia!" He cried as she jumped from the rock into a crevice.

"Follow me," she responded.

Ichigo looked over the crevice to see Rukia at the bottom looking up at him. The crevice was taller than her head. He nervously lowered himself down, dropping onto the sand. Rukia started walked down the crevice and Ichigo followed, running his hand against the moist rock walls. She turned a corner and he followed, surprised to see it led to a small section of the beach, even though the rocks sectioned it off. Rukia turned and grinned at him.

"This is so cool."

He couldn't help but return her grin with one of his own. "You've always been good at exploring."

Rukia smiled smugly, before walking to the other side of the small beach area. Ichigo followed, staring in wonder at the area he was looking at. It was literally a part of the beach that was sectioned off by rocks. The large black rocks even went about ten feet into the ocean and the tops of the walls, also, went higher than the flat tops of the rocks they had first came off. It was totally private.

"I bet people like to have sex in here," Rukia commented, grinning cheekily. "It's so private."

"You have such a dirty mind," Ichigo responded, rolling his eyes.

"Check this out."

He walked over to where she was and peered around her. There seemed to be a tunnel in the rock.

"Should we go in there?"

Ichigo shook his head. "There's probably only trash and stuff. Let's go climb the rock pier before the curfew comes."

Rukia stared longingly at the small cave before sighing. "Yeah."

They made their way out of the little private area, and with some effort, pulled their selves out of the crevice and onto the flat rock. The sun was beginning to set now.

"Should we go back now?" Rukia asked.

Ichigo glanced back at the beach where their class was set up, and could still see people playing in the water.

"I think we're okay," he told Rukia, who was also looking.

"If we go fast."

They nodded at each other and started to carefully climbing across the rocks that led to the rock pier. Ichigo wanted to make it out to the last rock. There were puddles of water on some of them, and every now and again he'd step on one and scare himself.

Rukia was kicking a rock, expertly getting across crevice after crevice as he barely managed to stumble from rock to rock without falling in one. There was a large crevice between a rock and the one they were currently on, so Rukia gave a hard kick to the rock she'd been kicking, sending it soaring. It went way past the other rock. Ichigo snickered as Rukia flushed in embarrassment.

"Ow!"

Rukia and Ichigo looked at each other in surprise and scrambled across the crevice, looking down the other side of the rock. A pair of teenage boys was standing below them. One of them had shaggy brown hair and the other had a buzz cut. The one with the buzz cut was holding a hand to his head and holding the rock in his other hand. Rukia jumped down before Ichigo could stop her, and jogged up to the boy with the buzz but.

"I am so sorry!" She apologized.

"I think I'm bleeding," he said, pulling his hand away from his head for a second, before quickly replacing it. "Yeah, definitely bleeding."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. Yeah right.

"Sorry!" Rukia apologized again, sounding flustered. "Let me check it out."

Rukia reached a hand up to the teen's head, but before Ichigo could protest, the teen grabbed her wrist, a smirk spreading across his face. Ichigo immediately tensed up, watching them carefully.

"Let go," Rukia demanded, trying to yank her wrist free.

"Are you alone? You don't look busy right now, so why don't you have some fun with us?"

"I'm here with my boyfriend," Rukia retorted, trying to pull her hand away.

Ichigo scowled, preparing to shout at the guy. Then the guy with the brown hair finally made his move, grabbing Rukia's other arm.

"It'll be fun," he told her.

"Let go!" Rukia repeated with more force.

Ichigo caught his breath and watched nervously. What should he do? Go get someone? No, there wasn't time for that.

He realized they hadn't noticed him, so he quietly back away from the rock and started going around it. Ichigo could still hear Rukia's angry voice and the boys' joking ones as he slyly came up behind the boys. He quietly begged Rukia not to look at him.

"Stay still," the one with the buzz cut said, jerking Rukia's arm hard.

"Ow!" She cried, being pulled forward.

Ichigo quietly dropped behind the pair of boys, trying to make the least amount of noise as possible. To his dismay, he landed with a thud. They heard him land and turned in shock.

The buzz but boy smirked. "I see you want in on the fun."

Without thinking, Ichigo punched him in the face using his full force. He let go of Rukia in surprise, stumbling back a few steps. Ichigo silently scolded himself. He needed to stop punching people. After he got Rukia away. Ichigo turned to the shaggy haired one, holding up his fist threateningly.

"Let her go."

He snorted. "You may have caught him off-guard, but you won't—"

Ichigo sent his fist into his face, cutting him off. Rukia managed to free herself and started sprinting away, grabbing Ichigo's arm and dragging him with her. The buzz cut guy looked up at him with a scowl and flipped him off. Ichigo childishly stuck his tongue out, rounding the corner with Rukia. They scrambled up the crevice, quickly making their way across the rocks and back to the beach, where they continued running back to the class site. Ichigo's feet splashed through the cool water as he kept throwing cautious glances behind him. He wasn't that worried. Ichigo had taken on a gangster before. He could take on two teenage boys.

They didn't stop running until one of the chaperones on the trip was in their sight. The two of them slowed gradually to a walk and then finally slumped onto the benches, out of breath. Ichigo leaned back, his throat burning.

"I hate running," he panted.

"Where," Rukia started, taking a deep breath. "Did you learn…how to punch…like that? I thought you couldn't even make a fist."

Ichigo gave a noncommittal shrug of the shoulders and Rukia let it go. Like he would tell her he needed to learn how to punch someone, because he was involved with gangsters. Hah.

"If anyone asks, that didn't happen," Rukia said seriously, her breath regained. "Kaien would kill me."

"I'm bleeding," Ichigo mocked with a smirk on his face.

Rukia scowled. "I was being polite."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "This is why I don't like the beach. There are tons of perverts around, waiting to scoop up girls in bathing suits."

Rukia stuck her tongue out. "Not always."

Ichigo laughed, letting out a sigh of relief with it. At least it wasn't anything serious. He had expected something like that to happen anyway. It happened in movies all the time. Suddenly he remembered they hadn't made it out to the last rock on the rock pier. Ichigo groaned and Rukia looked at him with a worried expression.

"We didn't get to go on the rock pier!"

Rukia shoved him hard. "There's always tomorrow."

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter thirty. I think Ichi is having Grimmjow withdrawals, he just don't want to admit it. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. I really do live for the reviews and it helps me immensely want to continue writing a story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	31. Chapter 31: Volleyball

Ichigo woke in the morning to the excited sounds of twittering girls. He scowled, rolling over and pressing his head against his pillow.

"I can't believe it!" Tatsuki cried excitedly.

"Me either! Ichigo! Ichigo, wake up!"

"No," he moaned, covering his ears. "I want to sleep…"

"Ichigo, its noon. Half the class is already at the beach!" Rukia responded, nearly shouting. "Plus, there is something I want you to see!"

"Trust me. You'll want to see it!" Tatsuki added.

"Come on, get up and get already!"

Ichigo felt the covers being ripped off of him and he clung to them for dear life. He heard Rukia grunt and yank harder.

"No," he moaned, keeping a firm grasp. "Just a little longer…"

"No!"

With tremendous force, Rukia was able to pull the comforter off him. He sat up straight, scowling at her. Tatsuki's hands were also on the blanket. She dropped them immediately with a sheepish grin on her face.

"Sorry, but we should go to the beach," she said and Rukia nodded.

"Fine," he said, sighing in resignation. "Let me change into some clothes—"

"Don't bother," Rukia responded quickly. "We'll be swimming and stuff, so just throw on your swimsuit."

He frowned slightly. "I'm at least wearing a shirt…"

Rukia rolled her eyes. "Fine, wear a shirt then, but hurry up! And do something with your hair."

Ichigo gave her a quizzical look. If they were going swimming, why would he have to fix his hair? Sighing, he climbed out of bed and walked over to his backpack. He grabbed his swimming trunks, a shirt, and a comb before heading into the hotel bathroom. Ichigo used the toilet and washed his face, before stripping out of his clothes and pulling on his swimming suit and shirt. He brushed his hair, fixing it so that it didn't look like he had a total bedhead. When he thought he looked presentable, he left the bathroom, snagging his beach towel from the towel hanger on the way.

"You ready?" Rukia asked, waiting by the door with Tatsuki.

He nodded, slipping on his flip-flops and following them out of the hotel room. The door lock behind them and he hoped that either Rukia or Tatsuki had the hotel key.

They made their way to the hotel lobby, where a few kids from their class were hanging out in the very comfortable looking recliners. They seemed to be playing catch with a hacky sack. Ms. Ise was there too, probably keeping an eye on them. She waved at them as they walked by and Ichigo returned the wave.

Ichigo yawned as they stepped outside the hotel. A cool breeze nipped at him immediately and he looked up at the sky with a frown. It definitely looked like it was going to rain. However, it was still warm enough to go swimming, so as long as it didn't rain anytime soon, he didn't mind. They trudged across the street that led to the beach and climbed up the boardwalk that went over the dunes. At the top, the ocean suddenly spread out in front of him, stretching out for what looked like forever. He smiled at the sight of it. It was so refreshing.

A large group of people were playing beach volleyball off to the right a little. Ichigo caught Rukia looking at the group of people with a grin. She looked at him and nodded her head at the group of people.

"Want to go play?"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "No…"

"Are you positive?" She asked, slowly frowning. "Do you not see…?"

"Let's go closer," Tatsuki suggested, pushing her hair back and leading him down the other side of the dune to the beach.

Ichigo stumbled for a minute, but managed to maintain his balance as she pushed him down the boardwalk. Rukia trailed behind them, an excited grin on her face. For some reason, he felt weary for the reason of Tatsuki's and Rukia's giddiness. He hoped they weren't planning on a surprise attack on him with water guns or something…

The closer they got to the group playing beach volleyball, the louder they became. A few people on the sidelines were cheering and the girls playing were making loud, unnecessary squeals and shouts. Ichigo rolled his eyes slightly.

That's when his eyes caught sight of him. Ichigo froze, his eyes widening. Were his eyes playing tricks on him? He glanced at Rukia, who grinned back at him.

"Now are you glad you came?"

He turned back to the group playing volleyball, putting a hand over his eyes to shade them against the small bit of sunlight that was peeking out from the many clouds. There was no way he was imagining things. There stood Mr. Jeagerjaques in all his bare-chested glory. But then a girl falling into him blocked his body from view. Ichigo narrowed his eyes slightly. Was that an accidental trip or was it on purpose? Rukia's smile slowly disappeared and she turned to him sheepishly.

"Okay, well…there may be girls all over him, but he's here!"

"I don't care if there are girls all over him," he stated stubbornly, crossing his arms.

"I do," Tatsuki interjected, scowling at the girls who stood at a two feet radius around Mr. Jeagerjaques. "I mean, you have positions in volleyball! Why are they all standing so close to him?"

"You jealous?" Rukia asked, jabbing her in the side.

"Yeah," Tatsuki admitted without hesitation. "It's annoying."

Something in Ichigo's gut twisted and he stared at the ground, biting his lip. It was funny. He was feeling jealous of someone being jealous. Ichigo almost laughed out loud at the idea.

"Let's go join in then," Rukia suggested, nodding her head towards the game.

"I'm in," Tatsuki said, grabbing Rukia and dragging her towards Mr. Jeagerjaques.

"Coming, Ichigo?"

He opened his mouth, about to say 'no', but decided against it. A smirk made its way onto his face. "Yeah, I'll play."

Rukia beamed at him, happy he was actually going to play. Volleyball wasn't his sport. They trooped over to Mr. Jeagerjaques and he glanced at them briefly, but did a double take. Ichigo pretended to be interested in the sand as they got closer. He heard Mr. Jeagerjaques call time and a resounding chorus of 'okay' came soon after from the girls playing. Rukia suddenly stopped and Ichigo nearly ran into her.

"Hey, Mr. Jeagerjaques," Rukia started, and Ichigo had to resist the urge to look up. "Got room for three more players?"

"Of course," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded without hesitation. "It'll make it even, but one of you will have to go on the other team."

Ichigo looked up now, raising his hand. "I'll go on the other team."

"You sure?" Rukia asked, turning around in surprise. "I don't mind—"

"No," he assured her, "I want to."

His gaze met Mr. Jeagerjaques' for a brief moment. For one split second, his eyes dropped and Ichigo had the impression he was just now noticing Ichigo was only in his swimming suit. Good thing he decided to wear a shirt. Ichigo walked over to the other side of the volleyball court, ducking under the net. He glanced at his team. Luckily, they were all people he was sort of friends with. Also, Orihime was on this team. She grinned at him and pointed to the spot next to her. He walked over to her and took it.

"You're serving," she informed him, handing him the volleyball.

"Umm," Ichigo hesitated, looking at the white ball in his hands. "I actually don't think—"

Someone blew a whistle and he jumped, nearly dropping the volleyball. Ichigo glanced at Mr. Jeagerjaques as the whistle bounced against his chest as he dropped it. He smiled in amusement.

"Serve at will, Mr. Kurosaki."

Ichigo took a deep breath, staring nervously at the ball in his hand. He didn't even remember how to serve! Why had he decided to play again? Oh, yeah. To try to show up Mr. Jeagerjaques. But how could he do that when he didn't even know how to serve? He groaned internally, letting out a breath. Here goes nothing.

He balanced the ball on top of his left palm and curled the fingers on his right hand. As fast as he could, he brought up his right hand and slammed the heel of his hand into the volleyball. Suddenly there was pain in his face and people laughing. His face flamed as the volleyball dropped to the ground after bouncing off his face. Ichigo rubbed his nose, avoiding eye contact with everyone. How he managed to hit himself in the face with the volleyball, he would never know.

Scowling, he bent down and readjusted the volleyball into the flat of his left palm again. This time, instead of looking at the volleyball, he looked straight at Mr. Jeagerjaques, who was smirking in amusement. He stepped forward with his right foot, exerting his pressure to the swing of his arm. The heel of his hand connected with the volleyball and this time it went sailing across the net, all the way to the out of bounds area. Both teams erupted into laughter again and he heard the sound of a whistle. Ichigo hung his head in embarrassment, a sigh escaping his lips. Discreetly as possible, he stole a glance at Mr. Jeagerjaques. He was just about laughing his head off.

Ichigo's face burned again as the other team rotated. Orihime caught his attention and mimicked his motion of hitting the volleyball and then pretended to get hit in the face. Then she mimicked him again, hitting the volleyball and then looking into the sky with her eyes shaded by the hand.

"Where'd it go?" She shouted, looking around in the sky.

Ichigo scowled at her as his team broke out into fresh laughter. "It's not that funny!"

"Guys, come on, let's continue the game," he heard Rukia call from the other side, but he could tell she was trying not to laugh as well.

The game continued, and luckily, the ball never came to him. Orihime landed a point for their team and they rotated. This time he was in the middle. His team gave him nervous looks and he returned them.

"Good luck," one of the girls, Nel, said.

"I'll need it," he responded glumly.

Orihime was serving now. She hit a clean serve to the other side of the court, which was returned by Rukia. The volleying continued until Mr. Jeagerjaques made a hard spike that landed at Nel's feet. Ichigo glared at him as his team cheered, the girls rushing to give him high fives. Scowling, he rotated out of center. Now Mr. Jeagerjaques was serving on the other team. For five straight serves in a row, he got a point for his team. If someone had been walking by, they would have thought there was a mass murder of something from all the screaming.

"Mr. Kurosaki, this one is for you," Mr. Jeagerjaques called, gaining Ichigo's eye contact.

Ichigo blushed and looked away, until he remembered he said he was serving to him. His head snapped up just in time to see the volleyball coming. Panicking, Ichigo tried to remember what move was best to hit the upcoming volleyball. Wildly, he returned it with a set. Everyone watch as the ball went sailing to the other side and landed in the dirt before anyone could reach it. And it was in bounds.

Suddenly, people cheering surrounded him and even the other team was clapping. Rukia wolf-whistled at him. A smug smirk slipped onto his face as he looked at Mr. Jeagerjaques. He smirked back, mouthing something. Ichigo cocked his head in confusion and he repeated it.

"I gave you an easy serve."

He scowled at him, not even bothering to respond. Nel was serving now. Ichigo watched as she hit the ball easily over the net. It was returned with a dig from Rukia and then returned again with a set from Orihime. Mr. Jeagerjaques stepped forwards, grinning at Ichigo. Ichigo braced himself, ready to return his hit. He set up for a set, so Ichigo relaxed himself slightly. At the last moment however, he spiked it. Unprepared for the sudden volleyball whizzing at his face, Ichigo let it smack into him. Ichigo stumbled backwards and fell over from shock, his face stinging painfully.

"Ichigo!"

"Ow," he moaned, bringing a hand up to his face.

Rukia's face appeared over his, looking half worried, half amused. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I just wasn't expecting it."

Mr. Jeagerjaques appeared over him now, frowning. He held out a hand and Ichigo hesitated for a fraction of a second before taking it. Without any effort, he pulled Ichigo to his feet.

"Sorry," he apologized, running a hand through his hair. "I wasn't aiming for you face…"

"I'm fine—"

"Ichigo! Your nose is bleeding!" Rukia cried, her hand covering her mouth.

Ichigo raised a hand up to his nose in surprise and pulled it away, finding it covered with blood. A lot of blood. For a moment he swayed, the sight of so much blood making him queasy.

"Come on," Mr. Jeagerjaques started, grabbing his shoulder. "I have a first aid kit on the beach."

Mr. Jeagerjaques pushed him towards the benches. Ichigo plugged his nose, tilting his head back. The feeling of blood trickling down his throat almost made him gag.

"Don't lean you head back," Mr. Jeagerjaques scolded him. "Forwards."

Ichigo did as he said and leaned forwards. Mr. Jeagerjaques continued to guide him until they made it to the bench. He sat Ichigo down and pulled out a large black box from under where Ichigo sat.

"Here."

Ichigo looked up and saw Mr. Jeagerjaques holding out a package of tissues to him. He grabbed them with one hand. It wasn't working out to well. Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled, taking the tissue pack back and opening the plastic for him. This time he gave it to Ichigo and Ichigo could pull out a few. Ichigo took his hand away and quickly crumpled the tissues up and put them to his nose.

"Sorry about that," Mr. Jeagerjaques apologized again. "But the face you made was hilarious— before and after the ball hit."

Ichigo blushed and frowned. "I didn't know you were going to spike."

"You're pinching the wrong part of your nose," he told Ichigo, grabbing his hand and lowering it until he pinched the soft portion of his nose.

It was a good thing he had been blushing from the earlier comment, otherwise the blush he had now might have made his teacher curious. He removed his hand and Ichigo nodded his head in thanks.

"Why are you here?" Ichigo asked, his voice sounding funny due to his nose being pinched.

"I got called in as a replacement chaperone," he told Ichigo, sitting down on the bench. "Mr. Ukitake got sick last night, so I was asked to drive up here today."

"Oh," Ichigo responded.

"Lucky me."

"Was that sarcasm?" Ichigo asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed, shaking his hair out of his face. "Trust me. Being around half naked high school girls isn't as fun as it seems, especially when they try to flirt with you or rub against you every five minutes."

Jealousy was bubbling inside him again, but he forced it away. There was nothing to be jealous about!

"You know, most guys would like that," Ichigo tried to say in a teasing voice, but it ended up sounding relieved.

"Yeah, well if you haven't noticed, I'm not most guys."

He looked up at Mr. Jeagerjaques, who had a smirk on his face. Ichigo chuckled slightly, returning his gaze back to the ground.

"Right. You're a handsome teacher, who is an ex-gangster, and your old gang is out to kill you for some reason, and you won't let me know the reason even though I was dragged into your problems. Not to mention you like blackmailing people and have a split-personality. Oh, and did I mention the fact that you lied and said you can't cook and then when I had to stay at your house, you suddenly were a great chef? And then you made dinner for my dad and me, which was equally delicious."

Ichigo paused, taking in a deep breath. Warmth was spreading across his face from his sudden outburst.

"You think I'm handsome?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked with a smirk on his face and an eyebrow cocked.

Ichigo scowled. "Was that all you got out of that entire rant?"

"I, also, caught the part where you said I was a great chef and that what I made was delicious."

"Narcissistic," Ichigo muttered, shaking his head.

Mr. Jeagerjaques laughed. "I'm just kidding, Ichigo."

Ichigo pursed his lips at him. "Why do you call me Mr. Kurosaki in front of others? You call everyone else by their first name in school."

"Are you going back to the hotel?" He asked, ignoring Ichigo completely.

Ichigo scowled. "No, are you?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques shook his head. "No, I have to stay on the beach to watch everyone. What are you planning to do?"

"Not play volleyball again."

He chuckled. "Good idea."

"Mr. Jeagerjaques!"

Ichigo looked up to see Rangiku waving frantically at Mr. Jeagerjaques. He rolled his eyes at her bikini top. Was that bathing suit even considered s bikini top? There was barely anything there!

"Come back, we want to play again and we need you!" Rangiku shouted, gesticulating with her hand.

Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed, pushing himself off the bench. He stood in front of Ichigo for a moment, and Ichigo got a view of his chest and six-pack. Slightly surprised, Ichigo gazed at his stomach. How had he not noticed he had abs? But then again, it shouldn't have been too surprising seeing how he was in a gang for about five years…

"See something you like, Ichigo?"

Ichigo blushed, glaring at him. "Yeah, I would if you took two steps to the right. It's the brown haired guy right behind you."

Mr. Jeagerjaques whipped around and Ichigo chuckled. Frowning, he turned back to Ichigo.

"Maybe it's because you're special."

With that, he started jogging back to the volleyball area. Ichigo stared after him for a moment, completely confused. What did he mean by that? It didn't make any sense! Then it hit him. He was answering his question from earlier.

'Why do you call me Mr. Kurosaki in front of others?'

Instantly his face flushed. Special as in what though? That Ichigo knew his other personality? That Ichigo knew he was an ex-gangster? That Ichigo knew what he was like outside of school? Or was it special as in… He shook his head. _Don't even go there, Ichigo_, he told himself. It was impossible…that he was special to him.

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter thirty-one. I wonder where Grimmjow could have been aiming if he wasn't aiming for Ichigo's face? Ichi shouldn't play volleyball or sports in general. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. I really do live for the reviews and it helps me immensely want to continue writing a story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	32. Chapter 32: Rock Pier

Waves splashed against the black rocks as he gazed into the deep blue ocean, entranced by it. It was such a dark blue, it was almost impossible to see through. And of course the cloudy day wasn't helping it at all. Ichigo looked up at the sky for a moment. It had gotten considerably darker since he had come out here…

He lowered himself into a squatting position, suddenly terrified of falling in. Ichigo had no clue how deep it was down there. Glancing back at the shore, judging from the distance, he figured it was pretty deep. Barely anyone was on the rock pier today. Yesterday, it had been crowded, but today only a few stray fishermen lined the rocks leading out. But none of them were as far as Ichigo was. He had walked all the way to the end of it, where the little white post was. Getting here had actually been a difficult task. Not all the rocks were flat on top and connected, so he had to jump a lot of gaps between the rocks. It wasn't so bad, but it was terrifying if you thought about falling into the ocean. There was at least a seven foot drop from the rocks to the ocean. But as you went further out the ocean level rose, so where he was currently standing there was only about a half foot drop.

Rukia was too busy playing volleyball, so she didn't come with him this time. He sighed, staring back at the mesmerizing ocean. To him it was an entrancing, yet terrifying body of water. His worst fear was falling in and either drowning or having some kind of sea creature attacking him. He chuckled at his next thought. What if there was a kraken or something in it? He wouldn't be able to see it because of the overcast and deep water…

Ichigo slowly moved away from the edge of the rocks. He cursed his imagination and ability to be scared easily. Krakens didn't even exist! He sent one more nervous peek at the ocean before turning his attention to the white post. Hundreds of names and initials were etched on it or written on with a marker. Ichigo ran his eyes along the rocks until he spotted a small and sharp one. Bending down, he grabbed it and began to carve his own initials into the post. As a second thought, he made a heart after his initials and added the letters G.J. next to it. When he was finished, he chucked the rock into the ocean, hearing it land with a plunk. Ichigo laughed softly a little at his childish idea. Hopefully Mr. Jeagerjaques wouldn't come out here.

He felt something moist on his bare skin and he looked up with a frown to find it drizzling slightly, and even darker than before. Ichigo sighed, knowing he should head back. He didn't want it to be pitch black as he tried to make his way off the rock pier. Stretching, he wished he'd worn a sweatshirt over his thin white t-shirt. With the rain ad slight wind, it wasn't a really warm temperature as it had been earlier.

To make it easier to walk, he took off his flip-flops and held them in his hand. Making his way carefully from each rock to the next was turning out to be more difficult on the way back then to. The rain was quickening now, making the rocks more slippery. Scowling in annoyance, he cautiously maneuvered himself around a rock he couldn't climb over. His foot slipped and a strangled cry escaped his throat as he fell forwards. For one gut wrenching second he thought he was going to topple over the edge, but he managed to catch himself on the next rock before he could do so. Ichigo pulled himself back into a standing position, his heart hammering against his chest. He should have at least told someone he was coming here. _Stupid, stupid Ichigo._

Gathering up his courage, he continued at a snail-like pace across the rocks. He kept his eyes off of the ocean below, knowing it would only frighten him more. As he slowly approached the shore, the rain fell heavier and the sky grew darker. When he finally made it to the relatively flat portion of the rocks, he relaxed immediately. At least now he couldn't fall into the ocean.

When he finally made it to the shore, he did a little victory dance. Somehow he managed to let go of one of his flip-flops. Ichigo scowled as it fell down one of the crevices. Getting on his hands and knees, he crawled to the edge of the crevice, looking down. His flip-flop was lying in a puddle of water at the bottom. Positioning his right hand across the crevice for support, he leant his upper body down and reached with his left hand. His fingertips just barely brushed the top of his flip-flop. He tried to force himself further down the crevice, but his shoulders were too wide. Suddenly, he heard a wolf-whistle behind him. _Rukia._ He retracted himself out of the hole with a sigh.

"Rukia, I dropped my flip-flop and…," Ichigo trailed off when he looked up at the person who wolf-whistled.

He was definitely not Rukia. It was hard to make out who the person out in the rain, but he could definitely tell that it was a man. Ichigo slowly stood up, forgetting his flip-flop for the moment.

"Well, look who it is," the man commented, taking a step closer. "It's the bitch from yesterday."

As soon as the man took two steps closer, Ichigo recognized him as the buzz cut dude he had punched yesterday. Internally, he groaned. It was just his luck to run into him now. Why did this kind of stuff happen to him? _Better you than Rukia_, a voice in his head said. He had to agree with that.

"Kotaro," the buzz cut dude called, "come look!"

A few moments later, Kotaro appeared in his vision. Ichigo realized with a shock that he was the brown haired guy that was with buzz cut dude yesterday. Kotaro raised his eyebrows, a smirk slipping onto his face.

"Good find, Ren," Kotaro laughed, patting his friend on the back.

"I need to go back to my class before they get worried," Ichigo told the pair through gritted teeth, "Although I'd love to stay and chat."

"Then stay," Ren said with an evil grin. "Let them worry."

"No, it's alright."

Ichigo started to walk around the pair, but they stepped in his way. He tried the other way and they stepped in his way again. Ichigo scowled, glaring as best as he could. They returned his look with amused ones.

"You don't think we're just going to let you off the hook after what you did yesterday, do you?"

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "If I got both of you yesterday, what makes you think today will be any different?"

Ren smirked and reached into his pocket. What he pulled out made Ichigo's blood turn cold. He had produced a switchblade. Ichigo stared at it apprehensively for a moment and then back at him.

"Those are illegal to carry around," Ichigo stated, trying to sound calmer than he really was.

Ren snorted. "It's not like anyone will know I have it. Grab him, Kotaro."

Kotaro stepped forwards, reaching out his arms to grab Ichigo. In a slight panic, Ichigo slammed his remaining flip-flop into Kotaro's face. He cried out in surprise, his arm dropping away from Ichigo. Ichigo let his flip-flop go and spun around, jumping across the crevice and racing over the rock.

"Get him!" Ichigo heard Ren shout.

Ichigo slid on the slippery rock surfaces as he tried to climb from rock to rock without falling. Twisting his ankle didn't sound too pleasant to him at the moment. He scrambled past the crevice that led to the sectioned off beach Rukia and him found the day before. His mind wandered briefly if that was a good place to hide, but he figured he wouldn't be able to get in without being noticed and followed. Instead, he went further along the rocks, his heart racing. Ichigo had no clue where he was going or where the rocks led to; he just knew he had to get away from the man with the switchblade. He could probably take on the Kotaro guy…

Ichigo glanced over his shoulder, trying to see if they were on his tail. Relief swept through him when he realized they weren't in his vision. Suddenly, Ichigo was falling. He held in his cry of pain as he felt his ankle twist painfully. Ichigo landed on a different rock, sliding down its slippery surface until his face came to a crevice. His head fell in, but he managed to pull himself up in time before his whole body could fall.

Ichigo heard a voice now and he held his breath tightly, looking up from where he fell from fearfully. Kotaro passed, not even looking in his direction. He disappeared from view after a few moments. Ichigo was about to let out a sigh of relief when Ren, the one with the switchblade, came out. Ichigo's stomach tightened and he silently begged him not to look down. He didn't. Ren continued following Kotaro and Ichigo's eyes bulged with disbelief. Since when had he become the luckiest boy on earth? Ichigo waited a few moments until he was sure they were gone before climbing to his feet. His ankle throbbed painfully and he hissed in pain.

Okay, so maybe he wasn't the luckiest. But a twisted ankle was better than being cut with a switchblade. Ichigo forced himself to ignore the pain in his ankle and climb back to the flat top of the rock other rock, where he'd fell from. His ankle protested as he slipped once or twice, but he kept going. Slowly. He went back the way he had come from, hunched over, gripping rocks for support so all his weight wasn't on his injured ankle. His heart was pounding with adrenaline and anticipation. Those two could return at any time… Ichigo came back to the crevice where the hidden area was and wondered for a split second of he should hide or try to go back to where the class was.

"Found you!"

A startled gasp left his lips and he twisted on his good heel to come face-to-face with Kotaro. Ichigo relaxed slightly. That was, until he started reaching into his pocket. Without thinking, Ichigo kneed him in the crotch as hard as he could. He shouted in pain, bending over. Ichigo panicked, not knowing what to do. He saw Kotaro was reaching for his pocket again, so he did the thing he found he was best at. Ichigo punched him. Kotaro fell to the ground unconscious. Ichigo stared at him for a moment in wonder, then to his fist in horror.

Ichigo had to stop punching people! He didn't have to resort to violence every time! And he had actually knocked someone out this time! He could have seriously hurt him. Ichigo bent down to check that he hadn't landed on a rock that was jutting out, but found him uninjured for the most part. He sucked in a deep breath of air when he realized Ren had probably heard Kotaro's cry. Quickly, Ichigo jumped down into the crevice. His ankle stung, but he did his best to ignore the throbbing pain. He moved slowly backwards, keeping an eye on the opening of the crevice above him. Ichigo trailed his hand along the moist wall, making sure he didn't fall.

He felt the corner and slowly turned himself, still keeping an eye out for any motion above him. Ichigo felt safer now, out of view of the crevice. Hopefully, now they wouldn't be able to find him— Ichigo froze, bumping into something too warm to be rock behind him. He felt a chuckle reverberate through his chest.

"Found you."

Ichigo felt his hair being yanked and he bit his tongue to keep from shouting out. He was yanked into the beach area, his ankle growing worse and worse with each step. Ren continued dragging him, oblivious to his pain. He was pushed against a rock and pinned there by Ren's knee between his legs. Ichigo scowled at him, trying to not let fear get the best of him. Ren scowled back, tapping his switchblade angrily.

"Where's Kotaro? Damn it," he muttered, glancing at the way they came.

His heart skipped a beat and he tried to keep a straight face. Ichigo didn't want to know what he'd do if he found out Ichigo knocked out his friend. But he was, also, terrified that Kotaro would wake up and come in here.

"How did you get in here?" Ichigo whispered, knowing Ren had walked by him earlier.

He raised an eyebrow. "Did you think you were the only one who knew of this place or something?"

Ichigo shook his head. No, he knew others would know of it…he just assumed these guys didn't. He sighed inwardly. Assuming never led to anything good.

"There are two ways in," Ren told him, jerking his head towards the other side of the enclosed space. "Have you ever heard of jumping?"

Ichigo blanched, realizing how ignorant he was. Of course people could just drop in here! It wasn't covered! It was a stupid idea to come in here if there was only one entrance. How could he have been such an idiot? He felt like he was going to cry. The feeling of cool metal against his skin snapped him out of his reverie. Ichigo's eyes widened as he locked gazes with Ren. He smirked, his eyes glowing with excitement.

"I'm not waiting for Kotaro," he told Ichigo, even though he could care less. "But I don't know what to do to you yet…"

Ichigo tried his best not to show him any weakness, but the switchblade pressed to his throat terrified him.

"Please don't kill me," Ichigo whispered, finding it hard to breathe.

Ren chuckled. "I'm not going to kill you."

Ichigo relaxed the slightest bit, but the blade was still pressed against his neck. He watched Ren cautiously, trying to control his breathing.

"But I can't say I won't hurt you."

With that he started to move the switchblade up, and he pressed down a little harder right under Ichigo's jaw. Ichigo flinched away as pain shot through the spot where he had now broken skin. The blade was withdrawn and Ichigo let out a shaky breath, but it turned into a cry when he felt a hard punch to his face. Ren glared at him.

"That was for punching me yesterday."

Ichigo raised a hand to his cheek in shock, unable to say anything. It throbbed painfully as he rubbed it. Ren grinned down at him.

"You know…you may have ruined the fun yesterday, but I'm sure we can find something to make up for that."

Ichigo looked at him in confusion. What did he mean? His hand with the switchblade slid down to the collar of Ichigo's shirt. Ichigo winced, preparing to be stabbed, but to his surprise, nothing happened. A sudden flare of pain shot through his body and Ichigo cried out in pain, unable to stop himself. After a long second, Ren returned his hand to his side, his mouth smirking. Ichigo glanced down at his chest to see his shirt hanging open, a red line traveling all the way down his chest, and the elastic part of his swimming trunks cut. He could feel his swimming trunks beginning to slide down and he frantically grasped them. Ren frowned at him

"The point of taking it off wasn't so you could cover yourself."

Ichigo glared at him, tears now prickling at the corner of his eyes.

"You're an asshole," he spat, clutching his shorts tighter.

There was a sudden shout from the entrance. Ren's head snapped towards it, a smirk appearing on his face. "That must be Kotaro. Finally he figured out where we are."

Ichigo froze, his heart dropping into his gut. Was he serious? How was Ichigo supposed to get out of this now? His chest tightened and he blinked rapidly, making sure no tears spilled down his face.

Ren glanced at him with a frown. "I'll be right back, stay here… Well, you don't have anywhere else to go, so I guess saying that is pointless."

He headed back towards the entrance and when he disappeared from view, Ichigo began sprinting to the other side of the enclosed area. He, also, threw his ruined shirt to the ground. Ichigo spotted the small cave he had refused to go in the day before. However, now it was his only chance of safety. Ichigo dropped to his hands and knees and crawled in. He could barely fit. It looked so much bigger from the outside. He managed to squeeze his way a fairly far distance from the entrance. Ichigo pulled his knees to his chest, cursing himself for his problem with blood. He put his head onto his knees, trying to calm his racing heart. What was he going to do? Ichigo felt so…helpless for once. He was trapped and no one knew where he was, and there were two guys after him because he had punched them yesterday.

Ichigo really needed to stop punching people! And getting himself into dangerous positions! He couldn't even attack them without his shirt. There was no way he could do that without getting nauseous from the sight of so much blood. Besides, they still had switchblades. It was too dangerous to try to attack them. There really was nothing he could do.

New tears prickled at his eyes and he rubbed them furiously, hating feeling this helpless. He never thought this would happen to him. It always happened in movies, but he never thought it'd actually happen to anyone he knew in real life, let alone him. Ichigo drew his knees closer to him, his body shaking. He hadn't realized how cold and wet he was. It felt like he had gone swimming.

"You," a voice growled.

Ichigo immediately looked up to see Ren glaring at him.

"Get out here. Right now."

"No," Ichigo responded, staring at him with wide eyes.

Was he crazy? Did he think that he was stupid? There was no way in hell Ichigo was leaving!

He growled in frustration. "You know, I do have a friend who can easily fit inside there and grab you."

Ichigo's eyes widened the slightest bit. "No you don't."

Ren chuckled. "Oh, yes I do. He's only about five minutes away from here. In fact, if you want I'll give him a call now…"

Ichigo couldn't tell if he was bluffing or not, so he stayed silent. He sighed and a moment later Ichigo heard him talking to someone.

"Yeah, I need your help. It's the cave again. Yeah. I don't know why they always hide in there. Okay, I'll meet you by the entrance."

Ichigo listened very carefully. Was he faking the phone call? And what did he mean again? Did he chase people here often?

Ren ducked down again, looking in at him. "I'll be right back. You can come out if you want, I'll be by the entrance."

Ren disappeared, leaving Ichigo staring after him in disbelief. He wasn't kidding. New tears formed at his eyes and he quietly sobbed into his knees. This was unbelievable. _Why me?_ How pathetic could he be? He was hiding in a cave, topless, bleeding, and crying. Ichigo smiled in wry amusement. _I guess I'm like a caveman or something._

Footsteps outside the cave sent his heart flying and his body palpitating in terror. Why so fast? He hadn't even thought of something that could help him in the least. Another sob escaped his lips.

"Ichigo?"

His head snapped up so fast it cricked. Ichigo ignored it though, staring in incredulity at the man standing before him. It wasn't Ren. Or Kotaro. It was Mr. Jeagerjaques. He was peering at Ichigo, his expression relieved. Mr. Jeagerjaques was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, but he looked soaked.

"How?" Ichigo whispered, tears flooding his eyes again. "How did you find me?"

"The man passed out and your flip-flop were good clues," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, a small smile on his lips. "Come out here, quick."

Ichigo shook his head violently. "I c-can't!"  
"Why not? Are you hurt?"

"No," he responded, even though he technically was, shaking his head. "My, er… My swimming trunks…are cut."

Mr. Jeagerjaques froze for a minute and then Ichigo saw him look around. After a moment, he took off the hoodie he was wearing and threw it to Ichigo. It landed directly in front of him and Ichigo snatched it up. It was soaked, but he didn't care.

"Put that on."

"Look away," Ichigo requested, not wanting his teacher to see the long cut running down his chest but then again not really caring if his teacher did what he asked.

He did though and Ichigo quickly slipped on the hoodie, pulling it over him securely. Feeling much better, he crawled forwards and out of the cave. Immediately Mr. Jeagerjaques pulled him to his feet. Ichigo gazed at him for a moment, feeling the overwhelming urge to hug and kiss him, but he fought it back with a lot of difficulty.

He inhaled sharply. "What happened to your jaw?"

"Um, switchblade," Ichigo muttered, averting his eyes.

"Ichigo," Mr. Jeagerjaques groaned, running a hand though his dripping wet hair.

It made Ichigo wonder how he had been searching for him for his hair to be so wet. His eyes came across his ruined t-shirt lying in the sand. He became paralyzed with fear. What would happen if Ren came back and he wasn't near Mr. Jeagerjaques? Swallowing, Ichigo grabbed onto the back of Mr. Jeagerjaques' t-shirt. He looked at Ichigo curiously and Ichigo felt his eyes well up again. Ichigo blinked them away as quickly as possible.

"Ichigo, what's wrong?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked his eyes soft and his voice quiet. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Ichigo responded, rubbing his eyes. "I'm just scared… There was nothing I could do, Mr. Jeagerjaques! I thought I was just going to be stuck in that cave until he came to get me out! I thought no one knew where I was and no one was going to come help me, and to make matters worse my swimming trunks were falling off and I couldn't do anything. I was helpless and scared."

Ichigo decided to skip telling him about the cut on his chest. He wasn't sure if he understood the last few things he said, because he had started to cry by then. Ichigo felt Mr. Jeagerjaques pull him into a warm and protective embrace. He didn't even think to be embarrassed. Ichigo clung onto him, still sobbing. He rubbed Ichigo's back soothingly.

"I'm sorry I didn't find you earlier," Mr. Jeagerjaques said quietly.

"It's not your fault," Ichigo sniffed, gaining control of his sobs.

Mr. Jeagerjaques pulled away from Ichigo, his face an unreadable expression. Ichigo stared at him for a moment, trying to decide what it meant but found it nearly impossible. Mr. Jeagerjaques ran a hand through his hair.

"Come on, we've got to get back before you get in some serious trouble."

"Please don't tell anyone what happened," Ichigo begged, grabbing onto his shirt again. "Please…Grimmjow."

His eyes widened in surprise and he opened his mouth, but no words came out. Eventually he just nodded.

"I won't tell anyone," he promised. "I'll tell them you got lost or something…but we should still go."

Ichigo nodded. "Okay, thank you."

"Don't mention it," Mr. Jeagerjaques muttered, turning towards the entrance.

Realization swept over Ichigo and he grabbed Mr. Jeagerjaques' shirt again. He halted, throwing Ichigo an amused glance.

"Now what?"

"How'd you get in here?" Ichigo whispered.

"I heard you crying, so I just jumped from… Ichigo, what's wrong?"

Ichigo's expression must have made Mr. Jeagerjaques worried, because he looked over his shoulder and looked back with a confused expression. And then they heard voices.

"They're back!" Ichigo cried in a whisper.

"Who are?"

"The men who are after me," Ichigo told him, his eyes widening.

Mr. Jeagerjaques didn't seem fazed, in fact he looked eager. He pushed Ichigo behind him completely and stood still, waiting for the men to come into view. In a few seconds, three men appeared. Kotaro, Ren, and the new small guy. So Ren really wasn't lying.

Ren narrowed his eyes at Mr. Jeagerjaques. "Who are you?"

"Your worst nightmare," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, cracking his knuckles. "Which one of you cut this poor boys jaw?"

Ren's gaze hardened. "That would be me."

Before he could protest, Mr. Jeagerjaques was in front of Ren, sending a fist flying into his face. Ichigo's jaw dropped as Ren fell a few steps back, but not down. Since when did men stay conscious after being punched by Mr. Jeagerjaques? There was a glint of metal and Ichigo noticed Ren had the switchblade out again. Ichigo took a step backwards, shaking his head.

"M-Mr. Jeagerjaques," he croaked, watching the three men close in on him

Mr. Jeagerjaques sent him a smirk. "Remember, Ichigo, I was a gang leader for a reason."

The first one down was the new guy. He didn't even stand a chance against Mr. Jeagerjaques' fist. Ichigo almost missed Mr. Jeagerjaques' fist landing in Kotaro's face and Kotaro fell backwards, another one hit K.O. Ren swung the knife out. To Ichigo's astonishment, it actually came in contact with Mr. Jeagerjaques' arm.

"Mr. Jeagerjaques!" Ichigo cried, shocked.

But that's when Ichigo realized he had let it get him on purpose. Mr. Jeagerjaques yanked the switchblade out of Ren's hand and turned it onto him. Ren's face immediately whitened and he stepped back.

"W-wait," Ren stammered, holding up his hands.

Mr. Jeagerjaques pressed the switchblade against Ren's throat. Ichigo gasped, staring with wide eyes.

"Mr. Jeagerjaques! What are you…?" Ichigo trailed off, unsure what his teacher was planning.

"I think you should have a reminder of what you did tonight," Mr. Jeagerjaques said in a dangerously low voice.

He dragged the blade up Ren's neck slowly, the same way Ren had done to Ichigo earlier, and rested it just below his jaw. With one quick slice, blood appeared and Ichigo gasped, cover his mouth. It wasn't a deep wound, but it still surprised him. A fist was sent into Ren's face and he fell to the ground. Mr. Jeagerjaques turned around, an amused smirk on his face. When his eyes landed on Ichigo's, his smirk automatically dropped. Ichigo stared back at him, caught between awe and horror. Mr. Jeagerjaques turned and looked at the three boys now unconscious on the ground.

"Ichigo, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Ichigo responded quickly. "Your arm—"

"Don't worry about it," Mr. Jeagerjaques said cutting him off. "Damn it." Mr. Jeagerjaques ran a hand down his face. "How could it almost happen again?"

Let what happen again? Ichigo opened his mouth to question him, but he realized now was definitely not the time to do so. Afraid the man might wake up again, Ichigo jogged up to Mr. Jeagerjaques, grabbing his arm. Immediately he ripped it out of Ichigo's grasp. Slightly hurt, Ichigo looked at him with wide eyes. He glared at him for a split second before softening his gaze.

"Sorry, Ichigo," he murmured, his hair falling in his face, covering his eyes.

Ichigo's heart was beating fast once more, but not due to the fact that he was afraid. And it wasn't due to the fact that he was happy. It was Mr. Jeagerjaques' expression. It was one full of grief and regret.

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter thirty-two. Yay! Grimmjow to the rescue! Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. I really do live for the reviews and it helps me immensely want to continue writing a story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	33. Chapter 33: Evading Questions

"I still can't believe you got lost at the beach," Renji said, cracking up yet again. "I mean, how can you get lost at a beach?"

"You just can," Ichigo snapped, stabbing his fork into his mashed potatoes.

"I don't think he minded," Rukia added, a small smirk on her face. "After all, Mr. Jeagerjaques was sent out to find him, and he was gone for a while."

Ichigo kept his mouth shut, trying not to be angry with them. They didn't know what had actually happened, nor did he plan on telling them, so it wasn't their fault. But their comments were getting irritating.

"So, what are you and Jeagerjaques dating now?" Renji asked, frowning. "If I ever see you two making out I swear I'll be sick."

"We aren't together," Ichigo snapped, flushing.

"Oh, come on, Ichigo," Rukia started with a smirk. "You guys were gone a really long time."

"Drop it," Ichigo snapped, growing more and more aggravated.

Rukia opened her mouth to continue to tease him, but the lunch bell cut her off. A smug smirk slipped onto his face as he stood up, grabbing his bottle of water, and mixing himself in among the gaggle of students leaving the cafeteria. Ichigo heard Rukia call after him, but he ignored her, hurrying out. He nearly ran all the way to literature, stopping by his locker to quickly grab his backpack. Before entering, Ichigo took a few deep breaths to regain his breath. What would Mr. Jeagerjaques say if he was first to class instead of last or close to last? A smirk appeared on his face and Ichigo entered the room. To his pleasure the room was empty except for Mr. Jeagerjaques, who sat at his desk looking at a piece of paper. When he heard Ichigo, he looked up. Shock flitted across his face before a smirk slowly appeared.

"Well, Mr. Kurosaki, congratulations on being first for once."

"Shocking, isn't it?" Ichigo asked with a smile on his face now.

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled, before suddenly turning serious. "How are you feeling?"

"Um, fine," Ichigo responded, frowning at his sudden change of tone. "How's the cut on your arm?"

"Don't worry about it," he said, shaking his head. "How's your ankle?"

Ichigo clenched his fists lightly, glowering at Mr. Jeagerjaques. "My ankles fine, it was only a little twist. And don't say 'don't worry about it', because obviously I'm going to worry if you're hurt, too! Especially since it's my fault, Mr. Jeagerjaques!"

He looked surprised. "But, Ichigo, I'm fine—"

"That doesn't matter!" Ichigo argued. "I worry for you just as much as you worry for me."

"Who said I worried for you?"

Ichigo stared at him, his face going blank. He wasn't worried? Embarrassment washed over him and he felt his face grow hot. Why should he be worried, right? It was only Ichigo's foolishness that let him believe that—

Mr. Jeagerjaques laughter interrupted his thoughts and Ichigo glared at him. He continued laughing for a few minutes, shaking his head. Ichigo tried to keep his mouth shut and wait for him to be done, but he lost his patience.

"What?" Ichigo snapped.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, clearing his throat. "I was kidding. I do worry about you."

Ichigo felt relief wash through him, and then embarrassment again. If he worried about him then…

"Your reactions are just too cute."

Ichigo blushed again and scowled at him. He was about to retort, when a different thought popped into his head. A frown spread across his face as he debated on how to ask the question that he wanted to. Mr. Jeagerjaques now was frowning at Ichigo's expressions.

"I didn't mean to offend you," he started, raising an eyebrow. "I was just—"

"What did you mean by 'again'?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"Yesterday," Ichigo told him, now chewing on his bottom lip. "Um, after you…you know, took care of those guys, your expression changed and you said something along the lines of 'happen again'."

Mr. Jeagerjaques' face darkened and he narrowed his eyes. "I didn't say anything like that."

Ichigo looked at him in shock. Why was he denying it? Ichigo had heard him say it clearly! And he couldn't forget the face he made…just thinking of it made his heart beat faster. There was no way he could deny what had happened.

"I heard you!" Ichigo accused, taking a step closer to his desk. "You said it right after—"

"Ichigo," Mr. Jeagerjaques snapped in a quiet voice, and then looked behind him.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes slightly, but glanced over his shoulder to see Renji and another student entering the classroom. Renji must have noticed something weird about Ichigo's expression, because his brow wrinkled in concern.

"I'm not letting this drop," Ichigo said quietly, giving Mr. Jeagerjaques a meaningful look before walking over to Renji.

"What's up?" He asked in a concerned voice.

"Nothing," Ichigo responded moodily, slumping onto his seat and hanging his arms over the desk. "Just the usual with Mr. Jeagerjaques."

Renji looked at him alarmed, bringing his head closer to Ichigo's. "Ichigo, did something happen with the gang? Are you hurt? Do I need to go beat up Jeagerjaques?"

Ichigo smiled at Renji's concern and shook his head. "Nothing like that, thank you for worrying though."

"You don't need to thank me for worrying," Renji pointed out. "It comes with the best friend's package."

Ichigo chuckled and Renji grinned. He took a seat on the edge of Ichigo's desk and looked down at Ichigo with a curious expression. Then his eyes narrowed slightly and Ichigo's eyes met his.

"What?"

"This," he said, putting a finger to his jaw. "How did you get cut on your jaw?"

Ichigo's eyes widened and he inhaled sharply, quickly putting his hand over the cut. _Crap!_ He had forgotten about that! Renji's eyes narrowed even more.

"Did Mr. Jeagerjaques—"

"No!" Ichigo snapped, irritated he would even think that. "I cut myself shaving."

"Uh-huh. So tell me, Ichigo, since when did you have a beard?"

Ichigo pursed his lips, scowling at him. "You don't need to have a beard to shave. I did it as a precaution."

Renji gave him a sarcastic look. "Okay, but I'm sure you know after you shave it grows back darker."

"Well I'll just continue to shave from now on," Ichigo responded simply, shrugging his shoulders. "I mean, it's not that big of a deal. I can just do it while I'm shaving my—"

"Ichigo."

Renji's dark eyes pierced into Ichigo's lighter brown eyes and he fidgeted in his seat, uncomfortable under his gaze. He wasn't going to make him crack. Ichigo could go against his intense gaze. Renji's eyes slightly narrowed and Ichigo mimicked his gesture. He wasn't going to make him crack…

"I just got into a little trouble at the beach!" Ichigo blurted out. "Now stop looking at him like that!"

Renji smirked smugly for a moment before returning to a serious expression. "What happened?"

The bell went off, signaling the beginning of class. Renji frowned as Ichigo shooed him away with his hand.

"I'll tell you later."

"You better," Renji threatened before walking to his seat in the back of the class.

He sighed, turning in his seat to face the front of the classroom when Mr. Jeagerjaques called for attention. Ichigo kept his eyes on him as he went through the attendance list, looking up every now and then to make sure a student was here or not. For some reason, he skipped Ichigo's name. Ichigo shrugged. He already knew Ichigo was here, so that was probably why.

"So, it's already November," he started after he finished the attendance list, "do you know what that means?"

"It's only been two months since school started and we still have eight months of hell to go through?" Someone said from the back of the classroom.

Ichigo smirked as the class laughed. Mr. Jeagerjaques smiled at the person.

"High school isn't that bad."

"Yes it is," the same kid responded. Ichigo was tempted to turn around and see who it was, but he decided against it.

"We'll be starting a project that we will continue to do until Thanksgiving break starts," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, his eyes sweeping across the classroom. "Any guess as to what it is?"

His gaze went past Ichigo's, but their eyes did not come in contact. Ichigo frowned, somewhat bemused. Where were the usual teasing smirks he sent him? Was he trying to ignore him?

"An essay?" Momo asked with her hand in the air.

Mr. Jeagerjaques shook his head. "No, but we will have plenty of those to write later. Even though they are boring for you to write, and even more boring for me to read."

Some people laughed, but Ichigo kept a straight face. What if he was ignoring him? What did he do? Was he angry…or what? Ichigo began drumming his fingers on his desk subconsciously.

"Book report?" Another girl guessed.

"Nope."

"An extremely long research paper?" Renji guessed and Ichigo turned to grin at him. He caught his gaze and grinned back.

"No, but we'll be doing those in the future as well," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, amusement in his voice. "It's something better."

The class stayed silent. Ichigo slowly raised his hand. As soon as it high enough to count as a hand raise, Mr. Jeagerjaques spoke.

"You'll be reenacting a part of a play."

Ichigo scowled for a moment, dropping his arm as a few students groaned. He was definitely ignoring him. Ichigo's stomach tightened uncomfortably, but not because they were going to be reenacting a play.

"We're going to be reenacting a play for three whole?" A girl named, Loly asked, her eyes wide. "Why so long?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled, a smirk slipping onto his face. _Sure, smirk at her, but no, you can't smirk at Ichigo_, Ichigo thought, narrowing his eyes at him. Immediately he stopped, lowering his eyes to his desk. What was wrong with him? He was getting jealous because Mr. Jeagerjaques was smirking at someone else? Ichigo groaned internally.

"It isn't a long time," Mr. Jeagerjaques said to her. "Three weeks is just barely enough time. You'll only be presenting your bits of a play during the last week."

"Then what are we doing today?" A different student asked.

"Today you'll be choosing what play you want to reenact and which part specifically."

A groan swept throughout the classroom. Ichigo nearly rolled his eyes. Choosing what play you want to reenact wasn't as bad as actually reenacting it.

"Are we working by ourselves?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques shook his head. "No, you'll be working in pairs. So keep that in mind when you're choosing your parts."

Immediately everyone turned his or her head to their partner candidate. Ichigo looked over his shoulder to see Renji staring at him determinedly. He raised an eyebrow and Ichigo smiled and nodded. Ichigo didn't know why he was asking. They were always partners.

"Would anyone like to volunteer to pass out the handouts?"

Before anyone else could begin to lift their arm in the air, Ichigo's was already there. Mr. Jeagerjaques' eyes finally met his. Neither of us smiled. Ichigo swore he saw him sigh, which only made his stomach squirm into an even more uncomfortable position.

"Okay, Mr. Kurosaki, why don't you go gab them out of the supply room?"

Ichigo stood up, keeping his eyes on his. He slowly started to frown, but didn't look away. Something caught the edge of his foot and he stumbled forwards, slamming his hands down on the edge of his desk and his neighbor's desk. A few chuckles erupted from behind him and he quickly pushed himself up, keeping his head down in embarrassment. Why was he so clumsy? Without looking back Ichigo dragged himself to the supply room, his face hot. When he entered he went to the copy machine to grab the handouts. He was about to leave the room, when an idea hit him. Smirking, Ichigo placed the piles of paper on the far corner of the counter where the sink was.

"Mr. Jeagerjaques?" Ichigo called, sticking his head out the doorway. "The papers aren't in the copier."

Mr. Jeagerjaques looked over at him, a small sigh slipping from his lips. Ichigo narrowed his eyes at him, offended, as he made his way towards him. He moved out of the way so he could enter the room.

"Are you ignoring me?" Ichigo accused in a whisper as soon as he was out of sight from the class.

He shot Ichigo an amused look before opening the copier and looking in it. "I'm not ignoring you."

"Then why haven't you looked at me?"

A smirk was now playing across Mr. Jeagerjaques' features. Ichigo relaxed slightly from the sight of the familiar smile. A wry smile made its way onto Ichigo's face. Ichigo was getting excited over a smirk. He must be going crazy.

"You've been watching me?"

"The whole time!" Ichigo told him, his lips pursed.

Mr. Jeagerjaques' eyes widened for a fraction of a second. Ichigo crossed his arms and looked at the ground.

"Was it because I mentioned that thing you said at the beach?"

"No."

Mr. Jeagerjaques' sudden cold tone made him look back up in shock. His eyes were glazed over as he stared at Ichigo. Ichigo returned his look, his eyes wide.

"It is because of it!"

"No, it's not," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, his eyes scanning around the room. "Where'd you put the handouts?"

"I'm not trying to make you angry, Mr. Jeagerjaques," Ichigo explained, biting his lip. "I just wanted to know—"

"Drop it, Ichigo," Mr. Jeagerjaques snapped at him, finally locating the pile of papers he moved. "This conversation is over."

"But Mr. Jeagerjaques—"

"Over," he repeated firmly.

"But I just…," Ichigo trialed off upon seeing Mr. Jeagerjaques' serious expression.

"This is none of your business," he said before brushing past Ichigo with the papers in hand.

Ichigo blinked, shocked and a little hurt by his words. Obviously it wasn't his business, but couldn't he tell he was just worried about him? He didn't have to be a jerk about it! Ichigo scowled, clenching his fists as he trudged back out to the classroom. Mr. Jeagerjaques was passing out the handouts. Renji caught his attention and he raised an eyebrow in amusement, mouthing something Ichigo didn't quite catch. Knowing it was probably something teasing, Ichigo just rolled his eyes at him before slumping back down into his chair. If Mr. Jeagerjaques thought he was going to let this go that easily he was wrong. Very, very wrong.

The rest of the day passed by in a flash when the final bell rang, Ichigo quickly left his seventh period class and hurried towards Mr. Jeagerjaques' classroom. The door was locked when he arrived. Ichigo knocked, frowning, and waited a moment. Still no one came to the door. He sighed, turning around, crossing his arms and leaning against it. If he wasn't going to come out right now, Ichigo would wait for him all night if he had to. Ichigo wanted to know, even though it really wasn't his business. He was just being nosy…but the look on his face had even hurt him that night.

Ichigo glanced out the window in front of him and his eyes widened when he saw Mr. Jeagerjaques walking down the sidewalk towards the faculty parking lot. He shoved himself from the wall and made a break for the exit, hoping to cut him off. Ichigo slipped out the side door and literally ran into him. He steadied Ichigo, looking down with an expression torn between amusement and chary. Ichigo stared up at him resolutely, his mouth in a straight line.

"I want to talk about it."

"I don't," Mr. Jeagerjaques said simply, a sigh escaping his lips. "Ichigo, move."

"But, Mr. Jeagerjaques," Ichigo started, stepping in his way when he tried to move around him. "You can't deny what your expression told me. It was so…horrible. It hurt."

Mr. Jeagerjaques' eyes narrowed slightly. "Didn't I mention this was none of your business?"

"I know you did!" Ichigo responded, growing frustrated. "But if I haven't made it clear enough, I'm just worried about you!"

Ichigo blushed immediately, turning to look at the cement sidewalk. Why couldn't he see that? And if he couldn't see that Ichigo was worried about him, would he ever realize how he felt about him? Ichigo shook his head. That was a different matter entirely.

"Listen, Ichigo," Mr. Jeagerjaques started with his voice much softer. "I'm sorry for worrying you, but this is something I don't want to share."

"Why not?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques smiled wryly. "Because I don't want you to think badly of me."

"I couldn't!" Ichigo responded almost immediately. "Okay, maybe I can, but not bad enough to make me view you any differently."

Mr. Jeagerjaques shook his head. "No, Ichigo. Sorry."

"But—"

Mr. Jeagerjaques exhaled slowly, looking at the watch around his wrist. "I've got to go."

"Another date?" Ichigo asked dryly.

A small smirk appeared on Mr. Jeagerjaques' face. "You're getting smarter every day."

"Who are you dating?" Ichigo asked, trying to keep the frown from his face. "Is she your girlfriend?"

For a moment Ichigo thought he saw a flash of the expression on Mr. Jeagerjaques' face from the night before. It made his heart skip a beat, but before he could be sure, it was gone.

"Something like that," Mr. Jeagerjaques told him, gently pushing him out of the way. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Just then a familiar black car pulled up next to them, music blaring from the inside. The window rolled down and Ichigo stared down at the car in shock. Mr. Jeagerjaques even stopped to glower into it.

"What are you doing here, Tsukishima?"

Tsukishima smirked up at Mr. Jeagerjaques then pointed at Ichigo with a slim finger. "I'm here to pick up Ichigo."

"You are?" Ichigo responded, his eyes widening. "Why?"

"We're going on another date today," he told Ichigo simply. "C'mon, get in."

"Tsukishima," Mr. Jeagerjaques started, but Ichigo cut him off.

"Okay," Ichigo said, opening up the passenger door and sliding in. He closed it behind him, looking up at Mr. Jeagerjaques. "See you."

"Ichigo, wait," Mr. Jeagerjaques started, but Tsukishima rolled up the window, making his words incoherent.

"That's mean," Ichigo told him, an amused smile coming onto his face.

"He's mean," Tsukishima responded before switching gears and heading out of the parking lot. "Or at least I believe he was being mean from the expression on your face."

"What expression?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The expression of hurt and unrequited love."

Ichigo flushed, glaring at him. "There was no feeling of unrequited love."

Tsukishima laughed. "You can't fool me. I'm the master of emotions."

"Seriously."

Tsukishima tapped the steering wheel with one of his fingers. "But then again, it's not unrequited."

"Yes it is," Ichigo muttered, looking out the window.

Tsukishima chuckled. "You're so pessimistic. If you knew Grimmjow, you'd know he definitely care more about you than other people."

"Probably because I'm caught up in his gang problems."

"You are really negative, you know that?"

"I can't help it," he told Tsukishima, turning to look at him. "I hate to admit it, but I really don't know anything about Mr. Jeagerjaques other than what you told me. He never tells me anything about himself. The only reason I know he cares about me in the least bit is because he admitted he worries about me."

Tsukishima sighed, glancing at Ichigo quickly. "Ichigo, you have to understand Grimmjow's past is sort of difficult."

"I figured as much…"

"Then don't worry about him not telling you everything right now, okay? He will eventually, I promise."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," Tsukishima responded, a smile on his face. "And if he doesn't, I can beat him up for you."

Ichigo chuckled, brushing a stray hair from his face. "Tsukishima, you never cease to make me feel better. It's amazing."

"Well, thank you," he responded, winking at Ichigo. "Someone has to help support you in your journey to capture Grimmjow's heart. And also bring you back up when he brings you down unknowingly."

"I never said it was my goal to 'capture his heart'," Ichigo pointed out, but smiled nonetheless.

"Oh, but it is."

"So, where are you taking me?" Ichigo asked, deciding for topic change. "Home? To get ice cream?"

"Nope," Tsukishima responded, popping his mouth on the 'P'. "You know how I told you I have two little sisters?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, we are going to be babysitting them," Tsukishima told him with a grin.

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter thirty-three. Grimmjow is being as secretive as ever. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. I really do live for the reviews and it helps me immensely want to continue writing a story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	34. Chapter 34: Babysitting

It had started to rain by the time they arrived at Tsukishima's house. It wasn't a torrential rain, but one heavy enough to make his shirt damp before they entered the house. While Ichigo was taking off his shoes, a young girl with black hair came up to them, a questioning look on her face.

"Ichigo, this is Sayuri," Tsukishima said, gesturing towards Sayuri with his hand. "And Sayuri, this is Ichigo." He gestured towards Ichigo.

"Hi," they both said in quiet voices.

Tsukishima laughed, slapping Ichigo's back. "Don't be shy."

Ichigo stumbled forwards from the force of the slap. A small smile slipped onto Sayuri's face. Ichigo smiled back at the thirteen year old, figuring she was just smiling at his pain. She laughed now.

"I've heard a lot about you," Sayuri told him, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "Shukuro likes to talk about you."

"Really?" Ichigo asked, turning to give Tsukishima a questioning look.

"Well, about you and Grimmjow."

Tsukishima looked at him sheepishly as his questioning look turned into a glare. Ichigo turned back to Sayuri with a forced smile.

"Does he now?"

Sayuri nodded. "Your life sounds like a drama, the way Shukuro describes it."

Ichigo scowled at Tsukishima, who was now scratching the back of his head. He did his best to resist kicking him.

"Sayuri, let's not talk about that, okay?" Tsukishima suggested, guiding Ichigo further into the house with a hand on his back. "Let's go find Suzume."

"Suzume is your seven year old sister?" Ichigo asked.

Tsukishima nodded. "Yup. She can be a brat sometimes."

"More like all the time," Sayuri muttered, tagging along beside them.

"Shukuro, Sayuri, and Suzume," Ichigo said out loud, a smile appearing on his face. "I see a trend here."

"Can you guess what our parents' names are?" Sayuri asked.

"Seiji and Sakiko?"

"Close," Tsukishima responded with a smirk. "Seiji and Sakura."

Ichigo grinned. "That's cool. A family of 'S', huh?"

"Too bad out last names don't begin with an 'S'," Tsukishima said, steering Ichigo up a slight of stairs.

"What is your last name?" Ichigo asked, receiving an arched look from Tsukishima and Ichigo blushed. "Oh, right it's Tsukishima."

"I bet you're thinking Ichigo Tsukishima doesn't sound good together," Tsukishima commented, a smirk appearing on his face.

Ichigo blushed and shook his head. "No!"

"Ichigo Jeagerjaques doesn't sound good either."

Ichigo glared at Tsukishima. "I wasn't thinking that either!"

"I never said you were."

"Shukuro, stop fighting with Grimmjow's boyfriend," Sayuri interrupted, rolling her eyes. "He'll kill you."

"B-boyfriend?" Ichigo repeated, staring at the girl in shock. "No! No, no, no, we aren't dating! Tsukishima!" Ichigo glared at him.

Tsukishima laughed sheepishly. "Sayuri, didn't I say not to talk about that?"

"What did you tell her?" Ichigo demanded, crossing his arms.

"I was just putting my input in," Sayuri said to Tsukishima, shrugging her shoulders.

"Let's just drop it," Tsukishima suggested.

"What did you tell her?" Ichigo repeated, grabbing Tsukishima's shirt. "Boyfriend? What?"

"Actually I believe my words were 'soon-to-be-boyfriend'," Tsukishima corrected, easily pulling out of his grasp. "And don't worry, I don't tell her much."

"He only complains," Sayuri interjected. "He's always saying how one of you should fess up your feelings otherwise it'll be too late."

Ichigo blushed again, scowling at Tsukishima. "What are you? An old lady that likes to gossip?"

Tsukishima shrugged. "I have to express my frustrations about you guys somehow."

"It's not even your business!"

"I just want Grimmjow to be happy, he deserves it," Tsukishima responded, ruffling Ichigo's hair. "You wouldn't understand."

"Then help me understand!"

"It's not my right to tell you."

"Well if both you and Mr. Jeagerjaques won't, then who will?" Ichigo demanded, growing increasingly frustrated.

Tsukishima sighed, pushing open a door and ushering Ichigo inside. The scowl slipped off of his face, replaced by a horrified expression as he looked around the room they were in. There were doll parts everywhere. Heads, torsos, bottoms, legs, hair…everything.

"Suzume," Ichigo heard Tsukishima start in a scolding voice. "How many times do I have to tell you not to take apart your dolls?"

Ichigo looked to where Tsukishima was looking and saw the cutest little girl ever. She had honey colored hair that was in pigtails and large brown eyes that reminded him of Tsukishima's.

"Mom's going to be mad," Sayuri said in a smug voice.

Suzume's eyes snapped onto Ichigo's and she smiled sweetly. Ichigo felt himself smiling back and he glanced at Tsukishima. He was watching him with an amused expression.

"She's so cute," Ichigo told him, wanting to hug her close. "I've always wanted a little sister just like her!"

"No you don't," Tsukishima and Sayuri snorted at the same time.

Suzume walked over towards him, grabbing onto his shirt. "Sissy?"

Ichigo's jaw dropped and he looked between the little girl and Tsukishima, his mouth now working but no words coming out. He gestured with his finger between them and Tsukishima laughed.

"Suzume this is Ichigo, Ichigo, Suzume," he introduced them.

"But you can call me Ichi!" Ichigo told the little girl, squatting down to her level.

"Okay," Suzume said, giving him a huge smile.

"So cute," Ichigo gushed, looking back at Tsukishima. "I guess cuteness runs in your family."

"You think I'm cute?" Sayuri and Tsukishima responded at the same time, both sounding smug.

Ichigo smiled half amused, half annoyed. Sayuri and Tsukishima were a lot alike personality wise. They sort of reminded him of Mr. Jeagerjaques when he acted narcissistic. The same— Ichigo shook his head. Now wasn't the time to be thinking of Mr. Jeagerjaques.

"You're a very cute girl," Ichigo told Sayuri, smiling.

"Well, thank you," she responded, grinning at him.

Her grin reminded Ichigo of Tsukishima's. It was scary how much these siblings were alike.

"What about me?" Tsukishima asked, nudging Ichigo's back with his elbow. "Admit it. You think I'm cute."

"I do," Ichigo responded honestly.

He smirked. "I'm going to tell Grimmjow."

"Grimmjow is here?" Suzume spoke, reentering the conversation. "I want to see him!"

Tsukishima shook his head at her. "Not today."

Suzume's expression fell instantly and a smile came to Ichigo's face. He looked at Tsukishima with a questioning expression.

"Grimmjow sometimes comes over to keep me company when I babysit," he explained. "Suzume is very attached to him."

"That's cute," Ichigo commented, grinning at the little girl once more.

"Sure, until she asks you to make him come over every five seconds," Tsukishima responded with a shrug. "But anyway, I want to show you something so follow me."

"See you later," Ichigo said to Suzume, ruffling the hair on her head.

"Bye Ichi," she responded and then turned to Sayuri. "Will you play videogames with me?"

"Sure," Ichigo heard Sayuri respond as Ichigo followed Tsukishima out of the room.

He led Ichigo down the hallway all the way to the other end and opened up a door. Ichigo went in first and stood still, waiting for Tsukishima to turn on the light. When light flooded the room, Ichigo noticed he was in another bedroom.

"This is my old room," Tsukishima told him, walking over to a dresser. "Take a seat on the bed."

Ichigo did as ordered and watched as Tsukishima shuffled through the top drawer of the dresser before pulling out a large black book. He came back over to Ichigo and sat down on the bed as well. Ichigo peered over his shoulder to read the cover of the book.

"A yearbook?"

"Yep," Tsukishima responded, opening it up. "I only have Grimmjow's senior year photos because that's when I arrived at the school, and he graduated the next year."

"How do you know each other then?" Ichigo asked, frowning as Tsukishima began to flip through the color filled pages.

"Mostly through the gang," Tsukishima responded. "But he was also dating my cousin…"

"Who's that?"

Tsukishima either didn't hear him or ignored him, because he didn't reply. Ichigo stayed quiet as he continued to flip through the yearbook. Finally he came to a page that had the word 'seniors' in large, fancy writing. He flipped two more pages then grinned, pointing down.

"Here's Grimmjow's senior page."

Tsukishima pushed the yearbook onto Ichigo's lap and he stared down at the page. At least ten photos of Mr. Jeagerjaques in his younger days stared back at him. A blush made its way across his face as he stared at the pictures. He was so handsome.

"Thinking something naughty?" Tsukishima teased, his face inches away from Ichigo's. "Hmm?"

"N-no!" Ichigo denied, shaking his head quickly. "He's just so…handsome."

"He was popular with the ladies even when he was two years younger than them," Tsukishima told him, moving his head away again.

"Was your cousin two years older than him when they dated?"

Tsukishima nodded. "Everyone he dated was older than him, or so I've heard."

"So than he likes older girls."

"Probably."

Ichigo glanced at Tsukishima quickly, a look of surprise passing on his face. Tsukishima agreed? Shouldn't he deny that and tease him? Or did that mean it was the truth? Did Mr. Jeagerjaques really only like older women? Tsukishima suddenly started laughing and Ichigo turned to look at him, a frown on his face. He continued to laugh for a few moments, putting his face in his hands. When he was done, he cleared his throat and looked back up at Ichigo.

"Sorry," he apologized, a grin on his face, "I was kidding. I'm sure Grimmjow doesn't prefer an older woman to a younger one and vice versa. You just have cute reactions."

Ichigo blushed, scowling at him. "You're just like Mr. Jeagerjaques."

"But I don't have a crush on you."

"He doesn't either!"

"Well if I'm just like Grimmjow and I have a crush on you, that means he does too," Tsukishima said simply.

Ichigo's eyes widened a fraction of a centimeter. "But you just said you didn't have a crush on me."

"I lied."

"But you said you weren't interested in high school kids."

Tsukishima grinned evilly. "I lied."

"But—"

Suddenly he leaned over Ichigo, placing one arm behind him and one arm across him. He then brought his leg over Ichigo's and straddled him. Ichigo stared at him in surprise, not even thinking of moving away.

"Want me to prove it?" He asked in a husky whisper.

"Huh?" Ichigo said dumbly, feeling his face grow hot from their position.

Tsukishima pushed down on his collarbone, making Ichigo lie completely on his back. Ichigo was too shocked to resist. Tsukishima smirked as he brought his head closer to Ichigo's and Ichigo felt his hand begin to lift the back of his head.

"W-wait," Ichigo finally stuttered, putting his hands against his chest. "Tsukishima, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to kiss you," he said in a singsong voice.

"What?"

His face was only inches away from Ichigo's now and he shut his eyes, trying to turn away, but Tsukishima's hand kept it still. Ichigo felt something soft press against his lips and he froze up. When he heard chuckling, his eyes shot open. To his confusion, Tsukishima's head was a good two feet away from his. Ichigo looked down and realized Tsukishima had his pointer and middle finger pressed to his lips. He quickly opened his mouth and bit them.

"Ow!" Tsukishima cried, yanking his hand back in pain.

Ichigo shoved his chest, making him slide off of him backwards. He toppled to the ground and erupted in fresh laughter. Ichigo glowered at him, his face hot.

"What did you think you were doing?"

"Teasing you," Tsukishima responded, still laughing. "I can't help it. It's so fun. It's not fair only Grimmjow gets to do it."

"I don't find it very funny," Ichigo snapped at him.

"Oh? Did you want me to kiss you?" Tsukishima responded as a smirk appeared on his face.

"No," Ichigo responded immediately. "You know I like Mr. Jeagerjaques."

"Yup," Tsukishima responded, returning his attention back to the yearbook. "Want to see a picture of Grimmjow and my cousin?"

Ichigo hesitated for only a moment before nodding his head. He didn't even know why he hesitated. This was a past girlfriend Mr. Jeagerjaques', not a current one. But for some reason Ichigo was still feeling jealous. Ichigo silently cursed himself. He didn't want to be one of those over jealous people that wouldn't even let their love interests talk to someone of the other gender.

"Here it is."

Ichigo followed Tsukishima's finger down to a small colored picture of a pair of people with their arms around each other. Mr. Jeagerjaques was about a foot taller than the girl, and Ichigo almost laughed out loud at the girl's face.

"Nice red-eye," Ichigo commented, smirking at the picture. "I thought yearbook editors were supposed to fix things like this?"

Tsukishima grinned, tapping the girl's face with his finger. "I bet they kept it like this for amusement."

Ichigo nodded, looking back down at the picture. Mr. Jeagerjaques' old girlfriend was actually really pretty, if you excused the red-eye. She had bright orange hair that went to just past her shoulders and a tan complexion.

"She's got the same hair color as me," Ichigo commented with a smile. Did Mr. Jeagerjaques like that color hair?

"Um, yeah," Tsukishima responded, taking the yearbook away. "Enough of that, let's move onto another memorable picture of Grimmjow?"

"Would he kill you if he found out you were telling and showing me all of this stuff about him?"

"Probably," Tsukishima responded casually. "This is senior prom."

Ichigo glanced down at the yearbook and the younger Mr. Jeagerjaques in a black suit and deep blue tie stared back at him, a huge smile on his face. His hair was gelled back the tiniest bit.

"He looks like a model!"

"Don't let him hear you say that," Tsukishima responded with a snort. "You'll boost his ego too much. And trust me, it's big enough."

"How come Mr. Jeagerjaques never smiles like this anymore?" Ichigo asked, turning his gaze to Tsukishima, a frown appearing on his face.

Tsukishima gave him a small smile and ruffled his hair with his hand. Ichigo immediately snatched it away, frowning at him.

"Ichigo, Grimmjow changed a lot after the accident."

"What accident?" Ichigo demanded, his irritation growing again. "I'm so sick and tired of being left out in the dark!"

Tsukishima sighed. "I'm sorry, Ichigo."

"It's okay," Ichigo grumbled, swallowing his frustration. "I shouldn't take it out on you anyway."

"I'm sure Grimmjow will tell you when the time is right."

"I don't know," Ichigo responded skeptically. "He seems pretty dead set on not letting me know."

"There's a small…complication," Tsukishima started slowly, as if choosing his words carefully. "I don't think he wants to have you get the wrong idea before he can fully explain things…"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm guessing he's afraid of you being hurt, emotionally."

"Why?"

Tsukishima shook his head. "I can't tell you. I've already said too much."

"But now I'm more curious than before," Ichigo complained, a frown pulling at his lips.

Tsukishima chuckled and closed the yearbook, tossing it on the bed. "Come on, Ichigo. Let's go round up the girls and watch a movie."

"But—"

"Hmm, which movie should we watch?" Tsukishima pondered while moving towards the door. "Final Destination?"

"A seven year old shouldn't be watching that," Ichigo responded, following Tsukishima out of the room. "How about something a little more PG? Or at least PG-13."

"Those movies never have sex scenes in them."

Ichigo rolled his eyes at Tsukishima's comment. "That's so typical of a guy."

"You know, Grimmjow got around in high school a lot."

Ichigo froze in his tracks, staring at Tsukishima's back. Was he serious? What was that supposed to mean? That Mr. Jeagerjaques was a player? But Ichigo thought he had a steady girlfriend? Ichigo furrowed his brow. Did that mean Mr. Jeagerjaques cheated on girls? He definitely didn't seem like that type. But if what Tsukishima said was true… Suddenly Tsukishima started chuckling and Ichigo pulled out of his thoughts.

"What's so funny?"

"Your expressions," he told Ichigo, pretending to wipe tears from his eyes. "I was only kidding. Grimmjow didn't sleep around."

Ichigo scowled, kicking him in the back of the leg. "You're a jerk, you know that?"

"But you love me."

"Sure."

"Ouch…"

"Where are the girls?" Ichigo asked before Tsukishima could continue to tease him.

"Game room," Tsukishima responded, abruptly stopping and pulling open a door. He stuck his head in and Ichigo assumed that he caught the attention of the girls when he began to speak. "Do you two want to watch a movie with Ichigo and me?"

"Yes!" Ichigo heard Suzume squeal, soon followed by the sound of light footsteps. Suzume emerged looking at him with a big grin.

"Hi there," Ichigo said to her, squatting down to level.

"So what were you and Ichigo doing all alone in your old bedroom, hmm?" Ichigo heard Sayuri ask Tsukishima as Suzume grabbed his hand.

"Adult stuff," Tsukishima told Sayuri, a smirk on his face.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Don't listen to him, Sayuri. He's delusional."

A low rumble of thunder suddenly filled the room and Suzume flinched. She looked terrified. Ichigo held onto her hand tighter and gave her a comforting smile.

"What movie would you like to watch?" Ichigo asked.

"The Brothers Grimm," she responded, and began to tug him down the hall. "Let's go."

Ichigo followed her, hearing Tsukishima and Sayuri's footsteps behind him. They entered the living room and Ichigo sat down on the couch with the girls while Tsukishima got the movie started. Ichigo could hear the rain pounding down on the roof as it continued to grow heavier. Tsukishima flicked off the lights and plopped down on the chair adjacent to the couch, using the remote to start the movie. Ichigo settled into a more comfortable position, Suzume clinging onto him.

Three quarters of the way through the movie, both girls were passed out. Ichigo looked at Tsukishima in amusement only to find out he was half-asleep as well. A small chuckle escaped his lips as he shook his head. The movie wasn't that boring. Ichigo reached into his pocket and grabbed his cellphone, aiming to check the time. When he flipped it open, it showed he had ten new text messages, thirteen missed calls, and three voicemails. He clicked on the new text messages first. Nine were from Rukia, and one, the first one in his inbox, was sent by Renji. Ichigo decided to read his first.

'Tell me how the British boy is when you get this message.'

Ichigo stared at the message in confusion and re-read it a few times to make sure he had read it right. What was he talking about? Ichigo didn't know any other people with a British accent besides him! He sighed, hitting the up button to read the ones from Rukia. The first four were telling him to pick up his phone. The fifth was saying to get in contact with her ASAP. The sixth was telling him again to pick up the phone, so was the seventh. The eighth message told him to check his voicemail. The ninth said, "It's about Renji."

Ichigo frowned deeper, unease beginning to set in. What was about Renji? Did something happen to him? His stomach twisted uncomfortably as he went back to his cellphone's home page, trying to get to the voicemails. Before he could press call, however, his phone started vibrating in his hand. The caller ID read 'Rukia'.

Ichigo immediately pressed the talk button. "Hello?"

"Ichigo!" Rukia cried, sounding panicked. "Why haven't you picked up your phone?"

"I must not have had service," Ichigo told her, his eyes widening at her tone. "Rukia, what's wrong? What about Renji?"

Ichigo heard Rukia sniffle and his heart skipped a beat. His pulse spiked and his hands became clammy. He struggled to think straight.

"Rukia?" Ichigo finally started, grasping his phone tightly. "What happened? Is something wrong with Renji? Tell me!" He demanded when she continued to sniffle.

"Ichigo, Renji was shot!"

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter thirty-four. Remember everyone that in chapter twenty-two that I already said Renji comes back every summer with a British accent from being in England all summer. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. I really do live for the reviews and it helps me immensely want to continue writing a story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	35. Chapter 35: Hospital

"Ichigo…Ichigo. Ichigo!"

Ichigo jumped, his head snapping towards the sound of the voice. Tsukishima was frowning at him with a worried expression. His expression quickly became bewildered.

"What's wrong?"

The phone slid from his quivering hands, dropping to the floor with a thud. Ichigo stared at Tsukishima in horror, unable to form coherent words. Tsukishima immediately got off the chair he was on and stumbled towards him.

"Seriously, Ichigo," he started, bending down to his level. "What's wrong? Something in the movie?"

Ichigo shook his head frantically, feeling his breath starting to come in shorter and shorter gasps. Tsukishima's expression turned to alarm and he shook Ichigo's shoulder gently. Ichigo took another deep breath, this time forcing himself to let it out slowly. Hyperventilating was never a fun thing to experience.

"Renji," Ichigo choked out, his eyes starting to water. "He…he…"

"Breath, Ichigo."

Ichigo nodded, taking another deep breath and letting it out slowly. He repeated the process until he felt slightly calmer. Tsukishima nodded, keeping his hands on Ichigo's shoulders.

"Now tell me."

"Renji was shot!" Ichigo told him quickly, blinking back tears. "We need to get to the hospital! Now!"

"Who's Renji?" Tsukishima responded with a look of confusion. "And shot as in?"

"With a gun!" Ichigo responded impatiently, carefully removing himself from the girls and standing up. "I need to go!"

"Ichigo, wait!"

Tsukishima grabbed his wrist and pulled Ichigo to a stop as he attempted to leave the room. Ichigo turned to look at him with wide eyes.

"What?"

"It's raining! Were you planning on walking?" Tsukishima responded, his face in a frown.

"No one else can bring me," Ichigo told him, trying to yank his arm away. "You have to watch the girls!"

"Ichigo, even if you go now I'm sure you won't be able to see your friend until he's stable."

"I don't care!" Ichigo responded, his tears starting again. "Renji is like my brother! I'm not going to stay here and wait if he was shot!"

Tsukishima stayed quiet for a moment, pursing his lips. Ichigo tried to yank himself free again, but found it almost impossible. Tsukishima sighed and Ichigo scowled at him. He finally let go and Ichigo started walking out of the room again.

"Sayuri," he heard Tsukishima start. "Sayuri, I need you to watch Suzume for a little bit."

Ichigo paused for a moment, turning back to him. Sayuri was rubbing her eyes sleepily and looking up at Tsukishima.

"Why?" She asked.

"I need to take Ichigo somewhere quickly," he told her, pulling his keys out of his pocket. "It's very important and I need you to watch Suzume for me. I'll be back as soon as possible."

Sayuri nodded, glancing at Ichigo momentarily. Tsukishima turned and walked past Ichigo, dangling his keys in front of him. Ichigo followed immediately and they hurried downstairs and outside to the car. He yanked the door open and slid in, Tsukishima doing the same. Tsukishima started the car, and before Ichigo even buckled, pulled out into the street.

"Tsukishima," Ichigo started, looking out the window into the black. "Tsukishima! We're going way too fast!"

"You said you needed to get to the hospital fast!"

His protest died in his mouth when Tsukishima said that. Ichigo glanced out the front, watching the windshield wipers go across the glass in swift motions. A feeling of nausea came over him and he held his seat tightly. Ichigo glanced at Tsukishima, who was focusing intently on the road. He silently begged for them not to crash.

The sound of a phone vibrating filled the car and Ichigo reached for his pocket to grab his. When he couldn't feel it, Ichigo panicked for a moment until he realized he had left it at Tsukishima's house. He cursed himself quietly.

"Hello?" Ichigo heard Tsukishima say and Ichigo's head snapped to him.

"Tsukishima! Get off the phone!" Ichigo cried quietly, looking at him in horror. "You're driving!"

He didn't look fazed. "Yes, he's right here. Hold on."

Ichigo gave him a quizzical look as he held the phone out to him. He grabbed it quickly before Tsukishima took his eyes off the road. When Ichigo noticed it was his phone, his expression became even more confused.

"How did you get this?"

"I grabbed it off the floor before we left," Tsukishima told him, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Ichigo rolled his eyes, pressing the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Ichigo!" Rukia nearly screamed into the phone.

"Whoa, Rukia. Quiet down."

She started saying something, but he couldn't make out quite what she was saying because she was sobbing too hard. Ichigo's chest clenched from the sound, but he forced himself not to tear up.

"Rukia, calm down," Ichigo ordered, swallowing nervously. "What are you saying?"

Rukia sniffled and he heard her take a deep breath. "My brother won't let me go to the hospital because it's a school night and it's too late!"

"What?" Ichigo cried in outrage. "Renji was flipping shot and he won't let you go!"

"No!" Rukia responded in the same tone.

"Renji's life is more important than school!" Ichigo said angrily, clenching the phone in his hand.

Suddenly Ichigo was thrown forwards and he gasped in surprise, his head hitting the dashboard.

"Sorry," Tsukishima muttered and Ichigo was suddenly thrown towards the window. "Almost missed the entrance to the hospital."

Ichigo rectified himself in his seat, rubbing his head. "Smooth."

"Ichigo, you have to keep me updated!"

"I will," Ichigo told Rukia, running a hand through his hair. "But I don't know if I'll have service in the hospital."

"Then come outside and text me every half-hour or so, okay?"

"Okay," Ichigo responded, looking out his window at the large building. "We're here, so I'll text you as soon as I find out what's going on."

"Okay."

"Talk to you soon."

Ichigo pulled the phone away from his head and flipped it shut, putting it into his back pocket. Tsukishima pulled into a parking spot and Ichigo quickly flung open his door, jumping out. Immediately, Ichigo started towards the hospital doors.

"Ichigo!" Tsukishima shouted after him.

"What?" Ichigo called back, turning around.

"I've got to go back to Sayuri and Suzume, so call me when you want to be picked up. No matter how late, okay?"

Ichigo nodded. "Okay… Thank you."

"Anytime," Tsukishima responded with a grin. "Oh, and do you want me to call Grimmjow?"

Ichigo looked at him in shock by his offer. He raised an eyebrow at Ichigo, waiting for an answer. Ichigo opened his mouth, but nothing came out. After a moment, he finally managed to speak.

"What? No! Why would I want you to do that?"

"Support?" Tsukishima offered.

Ichigo shook his head. "No…I don't want him here. I'm okay."

"Are you sure?"

Ichigo nodded. "Positive."

"Don't hesitate to call if you need anything," Tsukishima told him, a frown still loitering on his face.

"Okay."

"See you later, Ichigo."

For a brief second Ichigo did wish Mr. Jeagerjaques was here, but he quickly dismissed the thought. His thoughts were now solely on finding out Renji's condition. Ichigo burst through the hospital doors, sweeping his now wet hair out of his face. He went to the reception desk and the receptionist looked up at him with a startled face.

"May I help you?"

"Renji Abarai," Ichigo told her, tapping his foot anxiously. "Where is he?"

The receptionist looked at her computer and typed something quickly. She scanned the computer screen, a frown appearing on her lips. "Right now he's in the ICU, and no visitors are allowed in."

"The ICU?" Ichigo responded, feeling his heart drop into his gut. "What's wrong? Will he be okay?"

"I don't know," the receptionist told him, shaking her head. "I don't know what's going on, I'm sorry."

"When can I see him?" Ichigo demanded, clenching his fists. "Soon?"

"I don't know."

Ichigo groaned in frustration. Didn't this girl know anything? "Where can I wait?"

She pursed her lips. "Are you his family?"

"Close enough."

"Only family members will be allowed to see him when—"

"I'm close enough," Ichigo snapped, glaring at her. "Please, let me at least wait by the room!"

"I'm sorry," the receptionist apologized, shaking her head. "Only family can wait in that area."

"I already told you I'm close enough!" Ichigo shouted, surely gaining the attention from everyone in the area. "Jesus Christ! Is it really so much of a problem to let me go wait? Are you even—?"

"He's part of the family," a new voice interrupted, their voice heavily accented. "I'm Ayame Abarai."

Ichigo's eyes widened and he turned to see a familiar woman with red hair frowning at the receptionist. When she noticed Ichigo was staring at her, she smiled.

"Are you family?" The receptionist asked Ayame, pursing his lips.

"I'm his mother," Ayame responded coldly.

The receptionist looked flustered and Ichigo smirked. "You may go up then," she said, looking around. "Do you need someone to lead the way?"

"No, I've already been up," Ayame responded quickly. "I'm going now and taking this young man with me."

"Of course," the receptionist responded.

Ichigo scowled at her. "Thanks," he said sarcastically.

Ayame chuckled and put a hand on his shoulder, steering him away from the counter. Ichigo looked up at her, his eyes filling with tears again.

"Is he okay?"

The smile automatically dropped from Ayame's face. His heart dropped once again and he stared at her in horror.

"He's not… He's not d-dead, is he?"

Ayame's eyes flew open in shock and she shook her head frantically. "No! No, no, dear. No."

Relief brought new tears to his eyes and he scrubbed them angrily. They really needed to stop! Ichigo hated crying, especially in front of people. But the sad part was, Ichigo cried when he was sad, relieved, and angry. So, he ended up crying a lot.

"Do you know what happened?" Ichigo asked Ayame, following her down the white corridors of the hospital.

She frowned. "The only thing I know is that he was shot twice. Once in the scapula and once in the chest, but not in the heart," she added quickly upon hearing Ichigo's sharp intake of air. "I got the call maybe an hour before you did, but I haven't been let into the room yet… The doctors have been keeping me updated on his condition thought, so I know he's not dead."

They entered the ICU and Ayame turned left, walking down another white hallway. Ichigo dogged after her, unsettled by the quietness of the place. He had been expecting the ICU to be full of frantic and shouting people. The silence seemed deafening.

"Ms. Abarai!" Someone shouted and Ichigo looked up to see a tall man in a doctor's cloak waving over to her. "Come quickly!"

Ichigo's eyes widened and he glanced at Ayame, who looked alarmed. She hurried forwards at once and Ichigo followed behind quickly. The doctor let Ayame into the room he assumed Renji was in, but he held Ichigo back.

"I'm sorry, there's not enough room…"

"Oh," Ichigo responded, his heart sinking. "No…it's okay. I'll wait out here."

The doctor nodded, before going back into the room and closing the door after him. Ichigo didn't move for a moment, staring at the closed door with his thoughts racing. His heart felt like it was about to burst from his chest. Was there something wrong with Renji? Did he take a turn for the worse? What was happening? Ichigo needed to know! He let out a frustrated groan and walked over to a bench against the wall across from the door and slumped down on it, resting his head on his hands. Ichigo wanted to know what happened to Renji! But no one would know exactly until he woke up probably.

Shootings didn't happen around here! And certainly not involving Renji! He hadn't done anything to deserve this! So, why was he in the ICU now? Ichigo clenched his fists, taking slow breaths. It wasn't fair…

His phone started to vibrate in his hand and his eyes snapped onto it. Ice ran through his veins when he realized the phone call was from Renji. With shaking hands, Ichigo slowly flipped it open and put it to his ear.

"H-hello?"

"Ichigo, right?"

"Who is this?" Ichigo demanded angrily. "Why do you have Renji's phone? Are you the one who did this to him?"

"Yes, this is definitely Ichigo," the man on the other side of the phone said with a small laugh. "And to answer your questions in order: Kugo, because I took it from him, and yes, in a way."

His breath caught and his eyes widened. Kugo? Kugo from the gang, Kugo? And he was the one who did this to Renji? Ichigo clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing.

"You shot him," he stated, clenching his phone so hard he was afraid it was going to snap.

"Is he dead?" Kugo asked in a casual voice. "I aimed for his heart…"

"Why?" Ichigo almost screamed, but immediately quieted himself when he remembered he was still in the hospital.

"You should know—," Kugo started, but suddenly stopped talking.

"I should know what?" Ichigo cried, grounding his teeth together.

There was no reply and he groaned in irritation. He pulled the phone away and glanced at it, noticing the call ended. His eyes then went to the service bars and he realized that he didn't have service anymore. Cursing under his breath, Ichigo jumped off the bench and rushed for exit of the hospital. A few doctors gave him wary looks as he sped by, but he paid them no attention. Ichigo needed to get out of the hospital and fast. Would Kugo think he hung up on him and not answer when he called back? He had to talk to him!

Torrential rain greeted him as he stepped outside the building. Ichigo looked at it briefly before turning back to his cell and waiting for reception to come in. After a moment three bars appeared and he quickly called Renji's phone. On the second ring, his call was answered.

"Where'd you go?" Kugo drawled.

"I lost service," Ichigo told him flatly. "Why did you attack Renji? He has nothing to do with Mr. Jeagerjaques or myself!"

"Isn't he the closest person to him?" Kugo responded, sounding bored. "Don't try to lie to me. Lately I've seen them together more than with you."

"What? What the hell are you talking about? They barely even talk!" Ichigo cried in outrage.

"Where have you been?" Kugo asked in an amused tone. "They're together a lot."

"I would have noticed," Ichigo started, though now he doubted himself. If that was true, how come Renji never mentioned it? Ichigo thought he hated Mr. Jeagerjaques!

"Apparently not."

"Why did you shoot him?"

"I didn't shoot him—"

"But you said—"

"I said in a way," Kugo told him, sighing. "Don't you listen when people talk to you?"

Ichigo scowled, clenching his fist. "Then why does he have two bullet wounds?"

"I only meant to threaten him a little bit and maybe rough him up," Kugo explained. "But another guy that was with me suddenly pulled out a gun and before I knew it, he was shooting at the British boy."

"Why didn't you stop to him then?" Ichigo asked, growing angrier by the second. "Renji could have died!"

"If he did, so be it. It wouldn't be on my name."

"You're a bastard."

Kugo laughed. "Like I said, I was only threatening him. If anyone is going to die, it'll be Grimmjow."

"Then why did you go after Renji? Why not me? Why him?"

"Because I have different plans for you."

His next question stuck in his throat as Kugo's words processed in his mind. He had different plans for him? Ichigo quickly scanned the area around him, panicking slightly. What was that supposed to mean?

"You still there?"

"Why can't you leave us alone?" Ichigo whispered, his eyes starting to water once more. "We didn't do anything! I don't know what Mr. Jeagerjaques did, but it doesn't involve Renji or myself! Stop attacking us!"

"So, you want me to just go straight for Grimmjow?"

Ichigo paused, clenching his jaw. "No…"

"Why not? I'll leave you and your boyfriend alone. I'll just get a whole group of us and surprise Grimmjow while he's least expecting it and that's that. I'm sure even he can't take on twenty people at one."

"No!" Ichigo shouted. "Are you a coward? Why would you do that? What did he even do to you? It doesn't even matter, actually! Just stop!"

"I'm not going to stop until he's dead."

"Why?"

"He hasn't told you? Really?" Kugo asked. "I guess I'm not that surprised."

"What did he do?"

Kugo laughed. "I'm not telling you. I'll let Grimmjow tell you. But it's the reason why he needs to die, you'll get what you deserve, and British boy was shot. It'll all make sense when you know."

"Wait!" Ichigo demanded, but there was a click and he knew he had already hung up.

Ichigo glared at nothing for a few moments. What did Mr. Jeagerjaques do? What could be so bad that someone would be willing to kill someone not even related because of it? A wry smile came onto his face. Well, it was a gang they were talking about, so it could actually be something not that bad. But he had to know. There was no more time for secrets. Renji's accident had crossed the line. Mr. Jeagerjaques was going to tell him what happened, no matter what. Ichigo wasn't going to wait either.

He flipped open his phone, scrolling down to Mr. Jeagerjaques' number. Ichigo pressed the talk button and waited. It went directly to voicemail. Scowling, Ichigo pressed the end button. Why wasn't his phone on? He tried Tsukishima, only to find his phone was off too. So, much for calling him when Ichigo needed anything. He needed to talk to Mr. Jeagerjaques. Now. There was no way he couldn't tell Ichigo what he did was none of his business. Renji was shot, and now it was his business. He wasn't going to take no for answer.

Pulling out his phone once more Ichigo texted Renji's mom, to let her know he was leaving and to keep him updated. Sitting by and waiting for Renji to wake up was only going to make him frustrated and anxious. Ichigo would go talk to Mr. Jeagerjaques right now and demand he tell him. He couldn't say no! With his fists clenched, Ichigo stepped out into the rain and headed towards Mr. Jeagerjaques' house.

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter thirty-five. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. I really do live for the reviews and it helps me immensely want to continue writing a story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


	36. Chapter 36: Failed Confession

Rain ran down his face in small streams as he hurried down the dark street the led to Mr. Jeagerjaques' apartment. The forest that surrounded the road was creeping him out, but he put his best foot forward and continued, trying his best to ignore the unnerving woods. It really wasn't working. A shudder passed over him when he imagined what could be in there watching him. He really had to stop watching so many horror movies. Pulling his jacket tighter, he kept his head straight and his eyes on the ground. Only a little further until he'd be on a main road, and then Mr. Jeagerjaques' apartment would only be three blocks away.

Ichigo frequently checked his phone to see if Ayame, Rukia, or Tsukishima had decided to contact him. There had been no contact from any of them for the past twenty minutes. He was surprised his phone even still worked, seeing as how he was soaked to the bone and it had been in his hand the whole time, only slightly shielded from the precipitation.

A cracking noise from his left made him jump violently. He twisted towards it and stayed stock still, eyeing the area apprehensively. When a squirrel came barreling out of the black a small chuckle escaped his lips. It was just his stupid imagination again… This time there was the sound of gravel crackling behind him and he whipped around to see a car approaching. He relaxed again, cursing his timid persona. The car continued to grow closer, and as he heard it slow down his heart started speeding up again.

Ichigo kept walking, pretending the car wasn't following him. Wait, he didn't even know if it was following him. Maybe someone needed to ask for directions…he highly doubted that. Picking up the pace, he moved closer to the forest and away from the road. Whoever was in the car switched to high beams and kept them on him. By this time, he was slightly terrified. Kugo's words echoed in his mind. _I have different plans for you._ Ichigo glanced back at the car quickly, but he couldn't make out the driver. Suddenly it pulled ahead of him and came to a stop. Ichigo stopped too, staring at it warily.

When the door opened, he decided his best bet was to flee. Turning on his heel, he started sprinting towards the forest. The person in the car honked, scaring the crap out of him and only making him run faster. Ichigo heard the opening and closing of a door and someone shouting after him. He clutched his phone in a panic. Why now? Why couldn't Kugo have waited? He had to talk to Mr. Jeagerjaques! And no one knew where he was going besides Ayame, who didn't know anyone but his dad! Ichigo stumbled over a bush as he fought his way through the over-growth and trees. Someone was still shouting after him.

A wet tree branch slapped his face as he tried to duck under it, temporarily blinding him. Whoever was chasing him was growing closer, fast. Suddenly his foot gave out from under him and he opened his mouth in surprise but no noise came out as he fell face first. He was sliding before he had a chance to pick himself up off the ground. When he reached the bottom of the hill, he got a face full of sand. Without moving he held down the '6' button on his phone, slowly bringing it to his head. It rang once, twice, and on the third ring he heard the sound of someone picking up.

"Mr. Jeagerjaques?" Ichigo whispered, staying as silent as possible.

"Ichigo," he responded, sounding both amused and frustrated for some reason. "What—"

"Help me, I don't know where I am, but someone's after me," he whispered in a rush, squeezing his eyes shut. "I know I'm always in these situations and I'm sorry, but I'm scared. So please—"

Suddenly there was a loud cry of surprise behind Ichigo, and his words were cut off as something heavy fell onto his back. He dropped his phone in surprise, a rush of air escaping his mouth, leaving him winded. The weight was gone almost as soon as it appeared, but he was still gasping for breath.

"Shit! Sorry, Ichigo."

His eyes widened and he forced himself to roll onto his back. Mr. Jeagerjaques was staring down at him with an apologetic look on his face. Ichigo gasped in air, trying to regain his breath so he could speak to him. He bent down and pulled Ichigo to his feet and began to brush the dirt and sand off his body.

"I didn't think I'd slip," he told Ichigo, turning him around so he could brush off his back. "But you're the one who went down first…"

"That was you in the car?" Ichigo managed to say, stepping away from him and turning to face him. "Why didn't you say so? I was terrified!"

"Ichigo, I tried telling you that when you began to run but apparently you didn't hear me," he responded with a frown. "Do you usually run away from cars? That's a bad habit you know."

Ichigo ignored his jibe and glared at him. "That's not funny! Do you have any idea how scared I was? I thought it was Kugo coming to get me! I thought I was going to be killed or something, since apparently your stupid gangster friends don't have a problem with killing Renji!"

"Wait," Mr. Jeagerjaques interrupted, his voice growing hard. "What do you mean by 'killing Renji'?"

Ichigo was shaking with anger now, not quite positive where it had all come from. Probably the aftershock of being scared. "They shot him, Mr. Jeagerjaques! Twice!"

"Ichigo, this isn't the time to be joking—"

"I'm not!" He screamed, breaking the unnatural silence in the forest. "Go to the hospital and see for yourself!"

Mr. Jeagerjaques seemed taken aback for a moment and watched Ichigo with wide eyes. Ichigo glared at him, brushing a strand of drenched hair out of his face. A breeze went by, making him uncomfortably cold. He quickly folded his arms over his chest and pressed his legs together.

"When did this happen?" Mr. Jeagerjaques demanded, narrowing his eyes. "Is he okay?"

Ichigo shook his head, wiping rain from his face so he could see him clearer. "I don't know. It must have happened recently, because he was still in the ICU when I left the hospital. His mom's there and I texted her and told her to keep me updated on his condition."

"How do you know it was them?"

By them, he meant the gangsters. Ichigo flipped open his phone and scrolled down to the text message he had received earlier. "They have Renji's phone. Kugo called me earlier."

"What did he say?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, grabbing the phone away from him and looking at it with a scowl.

"He asked how Renji was, told me he was still after you, and he said he had 'plans for me'," Ichigo quoted, staring down at the ground. "He said he didn't care whether Renji lives or dies…but he was only going to rough him up." He looked back at Mr. Jeagerjaques, who was glaring at the trees. "When I asked why Renji, he said because he was with you the most…"

"I tutor him," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded simply.

"You what?"

"Tutor, you know…give him extra help? Help him learn the material more?" Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, raising an eyebrow. "Surely you know—"

"I know," Ichigo snapped, scowling. "How long has this been happening for?"

"Jealous?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked, a smirk appearing on his face.

Ichigo gave him a flat look. He sighed, running a hand through his now drenched hair.

"Just for the past few weeks. His mother asked me to give him extra help after school," he told Ichigo. "Though I didn't expect I was being spied on… Damn it. They'd even go so low as to go after a student I tutor?"

"Well he was also there with the accident near the towing place."

"But that's not the point," Mr. Jeagerjaques said. "They're going after people who aren't even related to the problem! Pretty soon they might as well attack the mailman, right? I need to put an end to this."

"What? Not by yourself!" Ichigo cried, his eyes widening. "Kugo said…even you can't take on twenty people!"

"What else am I supposed to do, Ichigo?" Mr. Jeagerjaques demanded with annoyance etched across his face. "Wait for them to attack another student?"

"They wouldn't attack regular students," Ichigo told him, though not entirely positive. "They'd get in trouble with the cops."

"Whoever shot Renji is already in deep shit."

"But you can't—"

"Ichigo, I'm not going to sit around while they pick off people close to me!" Mr. Jeagerjaques cried, his voice raising a notch.

Ichigo stared at him in shock. Since when did Mr. Jeagerjaques raise his voice? For some reason, Ichigo felt like he wanted to cry again.

"You can't do it alone," Ichigo whispered, staring at him.

"Ichigo, what if you're next?" He responded, his voice back to his normal tone. "If it's you then…"

"They won't do anything to me! I'll make sure of that," Ichigo cut him off, shaking his head.

Mr. Jeagerjaques shook his head. "You said earlier Kugo told you he had plans for you."

"I lied," Ichigo said quickly.

"Ichigo," Mr. Jeagerjaques started with a sigh. "How many times do I have to tell you that you can't lie to me?"

"They want you dead though," Ichigo breathed, blinking repeatedly to keep any tears from spilling. "Did you hear me? Dead!"

"Yeah, I can't say I'm surprised."

"What did you do?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques' expression went blank for a moment, but then it quickly became hard. He narrowed his eyes at Ichigo.

"I told you it wasn't any of your business."

"Well now it is!" Ichigo responded, clenching his fists. "And Renji's too! You have to tell me!"

"No!"

"Mr. Jeagerjaques!"

"Drop it," he snapped, scowling.

"No! I won't!"

"Ichigo, please," Mr. Jeagerjaques said, running a hand through his hair. "Drop it."

"No," Ichigo stated stubbornly, growing angrier. "Renji was shot, Mr. Jeagerjaques! That's taking it too far! You can't keep whatever you did a secret anymore! It's my business now!"

"Ichigo, just stop. It's not—"

Without warning, Ichigo punched Mr. Jeagerjaques in the chest as hard as he could. He didn't budge, but shock flashed across his face. Ichigo hit him again, trying to put as much force into it as he could. He let Ichigo hit him a few more times until his hand captured Ichigo's wrist and stopped him. Ichigo scowled, bringing up his other fist, but was caught by Mr. Jeagerjaques immediately. Now Ichigo attempted to kick his shin. Mr. Jeagerjaques let out a small groan of frustration.

"Is it my fault you're so violent?" He muttered. "Just like a child…"

Ichigo stopped struggling at once, a little hurt by his comment. Time for a different approach.

"Please," Ichigo begged, putting his head against his chest and keeping his eyes on the ground. "Please. I'm begging you now! Just tell me. Please, Grimmjow!"

"Ichigo, your hand is cold."

Ichigo pulled away from him, yanking his hand out of his grasp. The tears were now spilling out of his eyes. He glared at Mr. Jeagerjaques, taking a step away from him. Now he was going to change the subject? "I hate you. I hate you!"

Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed, closing his eyes. Ichigo shook his head in disbelief, taking another step away from him. He turned to walk away, but a hand enclosed on his wrist and yanked him back. Something warm enveloped him and he looked down to see Mr. Jeagerjaques' jacket over his shoulders. Ichigo tried to shrug out of it, but Mr. Jeagerjaques held it on by force.

"Let go of me."

"Ichigo, you have to promise me you won't think any differently after I tell you."

Ichigo looked up at Mr. Jeagerjaques in shock. His eyes pierced into Ichigo's with seriousness, complimented by Mr. Jeagerjaques' somber face. Ichigo slowly nodded, clenching his jacket tighter to his body. He reached out and brushed a few stray tears from Ichigo's face.

"And please stop crying," he said, putting his forehead against Ichigo's. "I'm sorry. I'll tell you, just don't hate me."

"I couldn't hate you," Ichigo responded, too embarrassed to look at him while he was this close.

Hate him? How could he even think that Ichigo meant that? Couldn't he see how much Ichigo cared about him? A sudden feeling of excitement ran over him. Ichigo swallowed nervously as he formed his next words in his mind. This was the perfect chance to let Mr. Jeagerjaques know. They were in the middle of nowhere and alone. It was the perfect timing.

"Mr. Jeagerjaques," Ichigo started, now looking at him, their foreheads pressed together. "I…I, uh…"

"Hmm?" Mr. Jeagerjaques' gaze landed on his and he blinked, staring at Ichigo for a second. Then he pulled away quickly, clearing his throat. "You're really cold, let's go get you warmed up."

Ichigo blushed, a frown slipping onto his face. Not yet. He was going to confess now whether or not he was cold. A shiver ran through him as a gust of wind blew through Mr. Jeagerjaques' coat, reminding him that he was cold. Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled, grabbing Ichigo's hand and tugging him forwards.

"Come on, you're shivering," he commented, squeezing Ichigo's hand.

"Wait, I have something to say," Ichigo protested, trying to take his hand back.

"You can tell me later," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, rolling his eyes.

"But I—"

"Don't argue with me, Ichigo."

Ichigo scowled, growing irritated. Why couldn't he just let him confess? Of course he didn't know Ichigo was going to, but he could at least think about the situation for a moment!

"Why didn't you call me?" Mr. Jeagerjaques asked.

Ichigo sighed in resignation. He guessed he wasn't confessing now. "I tried. Your phone was off."

"It wasn't off. I must not have had service," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded, ducking under a tree branch and holding it up for Ichigo and pushing him in front of him.

"Where were you?" Ichigo asked, looking back at him. "How come you were on this road?"

"I was coming back from…," he trailed off, looking away from Ichigo with a frown.

"A date?"

"Yeah," Mr. Jeagerjaques muttered, looking guilty for some reason.

"Oh," Ichigo responded, turning back in front of him, his stomach twisting.

He had thought Renji was his date… but guess it wasn't.

"Is she a nice girl?" Ichigo asked casually.

"Very nice."

"Is she smart?"

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled. "Sometimes."

Ichigo hesitated before asking the next question. "Is she pretty?"

"Beautiful," Mr. Jeagerjaques murmured from behind him.

Ichigo bit his lip, staring at the ground in front of him as he walked. Who was this girl? Mr. Jeagerjaques seemed to like her a lot… Did that mean that he had no chance? His chest constricted uncomfortably. Probably not. After all this person was probably a woman and he was a high school boy. The affection Mr. Jeagerjaques showed was probably just something he did to entertain himself. Suddenly something hit his face hard, making him gasp in surprise. Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled behind him.

"Pay attention."

Ichigo scowled, keeping his head up. "You know, you could care a little more."

Suddenly his wrist yanked him to a stop. He turned to scold Mr. Jeagerjaques, but before he could make a word his teacher's hands were at his face, holding it in place. Ichigo blinked at him as he brought his head closer. His heart began to pound as Ichigo watched him with wide eyes. What was he planning to do? His thoughts were interrupted when he roughly turned Ichigo's head to one side then the other, examining Ichigo's face with a frown. Ichigo felt himself flushing and he struggled to get out of his grasp.

"What are you doing?" Ichigo mumbled through his tightly pressed together lips.

"You said I should care a little more, so I'm making sure you're alright," Mr. Jeagerjaques stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Ichigo finally managed to break free from his grasp and he frowned at him. "Since when do you listen to me?"  
"I don't."

"So you're sucking up?"

A smirk played across his features. "Perhaps."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "You're still going to tell me…"

Mr. Jeagerjaques sighed. "Yes, I will…"

Ichigo felt kind of bad for practically forcing him to tell his secret, but he had to know. And it wasn't like he was going to tell anyone. There was no one else to tell. And it didn't matter to Ichigo what he did, it wasn't like he was going to stop loving him because of it. Upon that thought his face heated up.

"Thinking of me?" Mr. Jeagerjaques teased.

"No, of Tsukishima," Ichigo responded in a more serious tone. "He's been helping me out a lot lately. I'm trying to decide what I can do to make it up to him. He tried to make a move on me today, so I might take him on a date…"

"He what?"

Ichigo kept his back towards Mr. Jeagerjaques and shrugged. "You know. He pinned me to the bed and tried to kiss me."

"That brat," Ichigo heard Mr. Jeagerjaques mutter and a smirk slipped onto his face.

"What do you think I should do?" Ichigo asked, his smirk growing wider.

"I don't care what you do," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded in an off-tone voice. "You can date him if you want."

Ichigo turned to Mr. Jeagerjaques in shock, not expecting his answer. He tilted his head to one side and studied Ichigo. Ichigo looked at him in disbelief. Was he kidding? He didn't care? A frown quickly replaced his smirk. So he didn't care…well that was right. He still had a girlfriend… Mr. Jeagerjaques started snickering and Ichigo immediately narrowed his eyes. He shook his head, trying to keep the laughter in. Ichigo took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He should have been expecting this.

"Sorry, Ichigo," Mr. Jeagerjaques apologized, a smirk still on his face. "You know, your reactions—"

"Are too cute, I know," Ichigo finished for him, rolling his eyes. "Except one of these days I'm really going to mean what I ask you."

"I don't want you to date Tsukishima."

Once more, Ichigo was shocked by his words. Since when did he say such things so bluntly? This time Ichigo didn't turn to look at him. Instead, he shrugged.

"Then I won't."

"Good."

If there wasn't a blush on his face before, Ichigo was sure there was one now. Ichigo hated it, but he felt that by what Mr. Jeagerjaques had just said that he might have a chance with him. Maybe he did like him. Maybe he could return Ichigo's feelings. But that meant he'd have to confess and there was no way he could do that right now. Mr. Jeagerjaques would probably change the topic again as soon as Ichigo opened his mouth. But he wanted to. Ichigo wanted to so badly. He clenched his fists, now coming up to the road. Why did he have to be Ichigo's teacher? And why couldn't he be eighteen already? His feelings were already too much for him to handle. Suddenly his thoughts turned sour as realization set in. He couldn't say it. Ichigo couldn't tell him his feelings and have a chance of being rejected, or being accepted and making Mr. Jeagerjaques lose his job. But what if they kept it a secret?

"Okay," Mr. Jeagerjaques started, breaking Ichigo out of his reverie. "We're going back to my house and you're going to take a shower and change before I tell you anything."

"I-I don't need a shower," Ichigo muttered in embarrassment.

"Yes you do, a hot one. I don't want to take a chance of you getting sick," Mr. Jeagerjaques responded. "But then again, they do say only idiots get sick. And you are an idiot for walking out in the rain for as long as you did… Where were you going anyway?"

"Your house," Ichigo muttered, feeling his embarrassment grow.

Mr. Jeagerjaques chuckled, opening up the passenger door for him. "I should have guessed."

Ichigo climbed into the seat and Mr. Jeagerjaques closed the door for him. He snapped his seat buckle in and Mr. Jeagerjaques slid into the driver's seat. Mr. Jeagerjaques started the car and put the heat on full blast. He glanced at Ichigo to make sure he was buckled before starting down the street. They sat in silence for the entire car ride. They'd have a lot to talk about when they got to Mr. Jeagerjaques' apartment.

* * *

******A/N****: **Alright, here's chapter thirty-six. Ichi was so close to confessing. Thank you all for your reviews and support so far. I really do live for the reviews and it helps me immensely want to continue writing a story. Anyways, reviews and all that good stuff greatly appreciated!


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